MES Military Embedded System Magazine January February 2018

@military_cots John McHale
In memoriam: Wayne Kristoff 7
Mil Tech Insider

VME lives! 9
Mil Tech Trends

Lowering SWaP-C on deployed VPX 24
University Update
Making UAVs lighter and stealthier 44
MIL-EMBEDDED.COM Jan/Feb 2018 | Volume 14 | Number 1
RADAR
ON THE
HIGH SEAS
P 12
COVER IN PROGRESS WITH SPINE
RADAR/EW GUIDE P 32
Data-to-decision: Fueling netcentric defense solutions with
the IIoT and fog computing – By Roy Keeler, ADLINK Technology
Augmented vision:
Fusing radars
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Volume 14
Number 1
www.mil-embedded.com
January/February 2018
COLUMNS
SPECIAL REPORT Editor’s Perspective
Radar Design Trends
7 In memoriam: OpenSystems
12 Radar on the high seas co-founder Wayne Kristoff
By Sally Cole, Senior Editor and By John McHale
John McHale, Editorial Director
16 Augmented vision: Cybersecurity Update

Fusing radars and cameras for improved 8 Quantum radio may outperform
situational awareness other types of communications within
12 By Dr. David G. Johnson, Cambridge Pixel harsh environments
By Sally Cole
MIL TECH TRENDS
Signal Processing Trends in Radar, Sonar, and
Electronic Warfare Mil Tech Insider
20 The path to smarter, autonomous radar 9 VME lives!
and EW platforms By Andrew McCoubrey
By Mariana Iriarte, Technology Editor
24 VITA 48.8 Air Flow Through Cooling University Update

standard lowers SWaP-C on deployed 44 Flight control technology key to
VPX systems lighter, stealthier UAVs
16 By David Vos, Lockheed Martin and By Mariana Iriarte
Ivan Straznicky,Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions
28 Using thermofluid simulation to optimize DEPARTMENTS

liquid cooling of avionics power systems 10 Defense Tech Wire
By Michael Croegaert, Mentor By Mariana Iriarte
32 Data-to-decision:
Fueling netcentric defense solutions 43 Editor’s Choice Products
with the IIoT and fog computing
By Roy Keeler, ADLINK Technology
46 Connecting with Mil Embedded
By Mil-Embedded.com Editorial Staff
20 INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT
RF and Microwave and Electronic Warfare Systems
34 GaN tech driving radar and electronic
warfare designs WEB RESOURCES
Interview with Roger Hall, general manager, Subscribe to the magazine or E-letter
Defense & Aerospace for Qorvo Live industry news | Submit new products
By John McHale, Editorial Director http://submit.opensystemsmedia.com
38 Using RISC-V in FPGAs for strategic White papers:
defense systems Read: http://whitepapers.opensystemsmedia.com
By Ted Marena, Microsemi Submit: http://submit.opensystemsmedia.com
28
www.linkedin.com/groups/ ON THE COVER:
Military-Embedded- Published by: Top image: An F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to
Systems-1864255
Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 piloted by
@military_cots Lt. Cmdr. Jamie Struck performs an arrested landing
aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). The aircraft
carrier is underway conducting test and evaluation
operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication
All registered brands and trademarks within Military Embedded Systems magazine Specialist 3rd Class Elizabeth Thompson/Released)
are the property of their respective owners.
Bottom image: Augmented reality (AR) is now being
© 2018 OpenSystems Media © 2018 Military Embedded Systems used in military surveillance systems: Superimposing context-dependent
ISSN: Print 1557-3222 graphical information as an overlay to camera video can aid military users in the
interpretation of complex surveillance situations.
4 January/February 2018 MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS www.mil-embedded.com
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EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT John McHale jmchale@opensystemsmedia.com
http://www.cvent.com/events/2018-space-
parts-working-group/event-summary-bc0d9bc90 EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Rich Nass rnass@opensystemsmedia.com
47744f196aad710ca155d35.aspx CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Rosemary Kristoff rkristoff@opensystemsmedia.com
AUVSI XPonential 2018 EMBEDDED COMPUTING BRAND DIRECTOR Rich Nass rnass@opensystemsmedia.com
April 30-May 3, 2018 EMBEDDED COMPUTING EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Curt Schwaderer cschwaderer@opensystemsmedia.com
Denver, CO TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Brandon Lewis blewis@opensystemsmedia.com
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EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE
In memoriam:
OpenSystems co-founder Wayne Kristoff
By John McHale, Editorial Director
We lost a family member recently: Wayne Kristoff – co-founder of OpenSystems

Media, husband to our CFO and former president, Rosemary Kristoff, and patriarch
to our Arizona team – lost a short battle with cancer. He was 71.
A Pittsburgh native, Wayne tired of the cold weather and moved west with his wife
Rosemary in the late 1970s after a stint at General Dynamics in Rochester, New York.
Later, he moved on to Motorola Computing Group in Scottsdale, Arizona, during the
early days of VME, where he joined John Black and Mike Hopper to help grow a maga-
zine based on the technology – VMEbus Magazine. Later the trio formed a company
called OpenSystems Publishing (now known as OpenSystems Media) and added more
titles based on embedded computing standards such as CompactPCI and PC/104.
All three books still exist today, with VMEbus and CompactPCI known as VITA
Technologies and PICMG Systems & Technology, respectively. Nearly four decades
later, the company has products in markets such as aerospace, automotive, defense,
industrial, IoT, and transportation, reaching a global audience.
Wayne had recently retired as CTO of this company and a partner as of April 1. All of
us at OpenSystems Media owe a professional debt to Wayne for helping to create an Wayne Kristoff
environment that enables us to succeed while working in a family atmosphere.
I know I will miss catching up with him
“As CTO Wayne was instrumental on the operations side of OpenSystems,” says Pat on the Steelers, business, and life while
Hopper, president of OpenSystems Media. “More than anything I remember him over smoking a cigar and drinking a glass of
the years as intelligent, friendly, and a good family man.” wine on his back porch.
Personally, I’m forever grateful to Wayne, Rosemary, and Pat Hopper for bringing We all will miss his smarts, his wit, his
me on board to run the defense and aerospace arm of the company. But more than honesty, his loyalty to OpenSystems,
that, for immediately welcoming me like family. And to top it off, he was a lifelong and more than anything his dedication
Pittsburgh Steelers fan. Hell, I loved him just for that. to Rosemary and their family.
Aside from his beloved Steelers and other Pittsburgh teams like the Penguins and We will miss our friend.
University of Pittsburgh football team, Wayne loved motorcycles, his Jaguar, coffee
with his friends every morning, and listening to classic rock and blues music. Please keep Rosemary and the Kristoff
family in your thoughts and prayers.
What I didn’t know previously was how deeply Wayne was involved in local youth
sports in Fountain Hills, Arizona. According to an obituary in the Fountain Hills Times Wayne is survived by his wife, Rosemary;
(http://bit.ly/2FPv7Zk), “he was one of the dads who started the youth Fountain his children, Corrine Kristoff and Chad
Hills soccer program, worked the chains during Falcon football games, was active in Kristoff; his mother, Virginia Kristoff; his
helping define the technological offering at the high school and offered himself as sister, Karen McIlroy; his grandchildren
tech support to friends and family.” Chase Jordan, Sebastian Kristoff, and
Haley Kristoff and their mom, Diana
What he loved more than anything was family. Wayne could talk for hours about the Jordan; a nephew, Vincent White; a
trips he took all over the world with Rosemary and their daughter, Corrie, who lives in great-niece, Mia White; a great-nephew,
Europe. They stamped their passports in London, Prague, South America, Australia, Brady White; as well as aunts, uncles,
and a few other spots I’ve probably missed. Wayne also treasured the time with his and cousins.
grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers the family has asked for
My OpenSystems colleague Brandon Lewis often said of Wayne, “That guy really memorials to be made to the Defeat GBM
loves his life.” Research Collaborative (defeatgbm.org)
or Mayo Clinic’s Neurology Research
Can you blame him? Wayne lived life on his own terms. (mayoclinic.org/life).
www.mil-embedded.com MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS January/February 2018 7

CYBERSECURITY UPDATE
Quantum radio may outperform other types of

communications within harsh environments
By Sally Cole, Senior Editor
Quantum radio can provide communi- high-bandwidth communications like voltages at the light detector, which are
cations within environments – whether cellphones. We need bandwidth to com- more useful for communications.
underwater, underground, or indoors – municate with audio underwater and
that stymie GPS and other forms of within other forbidding environments.” Beyond sensitivity, these so-called opti-
communications. cally pumped magnetometers offer
To this end, Howe and colleagues at NIST advantages such as room-temperature
Quantum physics makes nearly every- recently demonstrated the detection of operation, small size, low power and
thing better, and communications is no digitally modified magnetic signals – cost, and reduced interference. These
exception. Researchers at the National messages consisting of digital bits – by types of sensors also won’t drift or
Institute of Standards and Technology a magnetic-field sensor that relies on the require calibration.
(NIST – Gaithersburg, Maryland) are ex- quantum properties of rubidium atoms.
perimenting with a low-frequency mag- This technique varies magnetic fields to During testing, their sensor detected
netic radio, using very low-frequency “modulate” or control the frequency, signals significantly weaker than typical
(VLF) digitally modulated magnetic sig- specifically the horizontal and vertical ambient magnetic-field noise. It picked
nals. Its signals are able to travel through positions of the signal’s waveform, pro- up digitally modulated magnetic-field
building materials, in water, and under- duced by the atoms. signals with strengths of 1 picotesla
ground farther than conventional elec- (one millionth of Earth’s magnetic-
tromagnetic communications signals “Classical communications involve a field strength) and at very low frequen-
that operate at higher frequencies. trade-off between bandwidth and sen- cies (below 1 kilohertz). This is below
sitivity. We can get both with quantum the frequencies of VLF radio, which
This technology may be an intriguing, sensors,” Howe says. spans from 3 to 30 kHz. But modulation
potentially more secure, alternative for techniques can suppress the ambient
military use, because GPS signals can’t These types of atomic magnetometers noise and its harmonics, or multiples of
be sent very deeply or at all into water, traditionally were used for measuring these, which effectively increases the
underground, or through the walls of magnetic fields that occur naturally, but channel capacity.
buildings. the NIST researchers are using them to
receive coded communications signals. To estimate its communication and
What’s so special about VLF electromag- They want to take it a step further to location-ranging limits, they performed
netic fields? They’re used for submarine develop better transmitters because calculations and found that the spatial
communications, which is impressive, but the quantum method is “more sensitive range corresponding to a “good” signal-
only have enough data-carrying capacity than conventional magnetic sensor tech- to-noise ratio was tens of meters in the
for one-way texts, not audio or video. And nology and could be used to communi- indoor noise environment. This is “better
to use this technology, submarines need cate,” Howe says. than what’s now possible indoors” and
to transport antenna cables, slow down, can be extended to hundreds of meters
and rise to periscope depth (18 meters The researchers developed a signal pro- if the noise were reduced to the sensi-
below the surface) to communicate. cessing technique to reduce environ- tivity levels of the sensor, Howe says.
mental magnetic noise – such as generated
The biggest hurdles for VLF commu- by electrical power grids – that limits the Pinpointing location was trickier: The
nications, including magnetic radio, communications range. Now, receivers uncertainty in location capability was
are “poor receiver sensitivity and the can detect weaker signals and the signal 16 meters, which is well above the target
extremely limited bandwidth of existing range can be increased, Howe adds. of 3 meters, but it can be improved
transmitters and receivers,” says Dave through future noise suppression tech-
Howe, NIST project leader. “Data rate is For this work, the researchers developed niques, increased sensor bandwidth, and
zilch. The best magnetic-field sensitivity a direct-current (DC) magnetometer that improved digital algorithms that can accu-
is obtained using quantum sensors.” uses polarized light as a detector to mea- rately extract distance measurements.
sure the spin of rubidium atoms produced
Why quantum sensors? Because they by magnetic fields. Atoms are housed The NIST researchers are now building a
offer “increased sensitivity, which leads in a tiny glass jar, and changes in their custom quantum magnetometer, which
in principle to a longer communications spin rate correspond to an oscillation in requires inventing an entirely new field
range,” Howe asserts. “The quantum ap- the DC magnetic fields, creating alter- that combines quantum physics and
proach also offers the possibility to get nating current (AC) electronic signals, or low-frequency radio, says Howe.

MIL TECH INSIDER
VME lives!
By Andrew McCoubrey,
An industry perspective from Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions
As we start a new year, it is customary overshadowed by the impressive fea-

to look ahead at emerging technolo- tures of new 3U and 6U VPX offerings
gies, both evolutionary and revolu- that dominate the headlines, new, more
tionary. But as the calendar changes, it powerful VME cards continue to be
is also a time to reflect on the past and released to support legacy VME system
where we are today. Although recent upgrades. In addition, product road
years have produced few entirely new maps point to an ongoing stream of new
platforms designed from the ground up, VME products including single-board
our industry continues to deliver higher
levels of performance and new capabili-
ties within existing systems.
computers, switches, and supporting
peripherals. › Figure 1 | The VME-690 Gigabit
Ethernet switch module supports as
many as 24 interfaces and integrates
data-security features.
Ensuring the continued vitality of VME
In the VPX ecosystem that powers has required some effort; COTS vendors a full system redesign and the costs
today’s advanced signal processing are investing to ensure that VME remains associated with introducing these sig-
systems and mission computers, new available. Confronted with the news nificant redesigns to the platform.
signaling technologies and design tech- a while back that the popular Tsi148
niques have delivered tremendous leaps (TEMPE) VMEbus bridge chip was being The good news is that COTS vendors
in processing power. At the same time, discontinued, the industry turned to remain committed to this form factor.
innovative engineering has continued FPGA-based PCIe-to-VME64x solutions One example is the Curtiss-Wight
to extend the life of systems based on to ensure that support for VME systems VME-690 Gigabit Ethernet switch, a
legacy technologies such as VME. For a will continue for many years to come. form/fit/function replacement for older
substantial segment of the embedded VME-682 slots. This new 24-port 6U
commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) mar- It should be noted that not every chal- VMEbus Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) switch
ket that does not require the highest lenge in keeping VME is going to fall module can offer VME system integrators
levels of performance, VME remains on the vendors of COTS modules. Tech- a fresh device life cycle, new networking
“good enough” to meet the need. nology insertions generally do require features, and improved cybersecurity
updates to drivers and application posture. The third-generation VME switch
Fully 30 years after a VITA committee software as well, even if one is simply requires less power (~35 W) than earlier
first defined a standard, VME modules migrating to newer devices within the designs and adds data-security features,
continue to power some of the most same architecture family, and especially enabling system designers to modernize
essential systems. Keeping these sys- when changing processor architectures their legacy VME system with updated
tems viable means addressing the chal- (for example, from Power Architecture communications technology. (Figure 1.)
lenges of obsolescence and introducing [PA] to ARM, PA to x86, or x86 to ARM).
new technology to address emerging Managing power requirements to stay As the industry looks forward to a new
requirements, such as the need for within the envelope of a legacy system year full of bleeding-edge VPX products
trusted computing. Fortunately, the can be yet another hurdle. for the design of high-performance sys-
industry continues to deliver new form/ tems, it’s also worth remembering that
fit/function-compatible modules that When designing a new system, integra- the venerable VME architecture is not
provide contemporary technology for tors typically turn to VPX to get access going away any time soon. In the years to
tech insertions and upgrades. Legacy to the latest and greatest hardware come, the COTS community will continue
VME systems may not need the system- and software, and to take advantage of to support this important installed base
level performance of VPX, but they can higher-performance backplane intercon- with a range of computing and connec-
still take advantage of the improved nect speeds. But if we consider the vast tivity products.
performance available from the latest- amount of deployed technology in the
generation processors and network de- field, whether in the air or on the ground, Andrew McCoubrey is the product
vices (not to mention integrated graphics much of it still resides in VME chassis. marketing manager, switching and
functionality that used to require a sepa- With many systems ripe for a technol- routing solutions, for Curtiss-Wright
rate mezzanine card or slot). ogy refresh, integrators looking for an Defense Solutions.
evolution in performance and capa-
The good news for teams that depend bilities recognize the economic appeal Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions
on VME: VME lives! While sometimes of module upgrades that do not require www.curtisswrightds.com

DEFENSE TECH WIRE
NEWS | TRENDS | DOD SPENDS | CONTRACTS | TECHNOLOGY UPDATES
By Mariana Iriarte, Associate Editor
NEWS
Navy tests joint air-to-ground missile on AFRL and Leidos to collaborate on electro-optical
AH-1Z helicopter sensing technology
The U.S. Navy recently completed its first Joint Air-to-Ground Leidos won a prime contract from the Air Force Research
Missile (JAGM) flight test, using the AH-1Z “Viper” attack heli- Laboratory (AFRL) to provide sensor technology under the
copter, in a demo at Patuxent River. Electro-Optical Combined Hyperspectral Imaging, Infrared
JAGM – a joint program between the Navy and the U.S. Army – Search and Track, and Long Range Imaging (EO-CHIL) program.
is a precision-guided munition for use against high-value sta- The single-award, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity con-
tionary, moving, and relocatable land and maritime targets. tract has an 87-month performance period and a total contract
The missile uses a multimode seeker to provide accurate ceiling of $47 million.
targeting during daylight or in darkness, in adverse weather, The key mission of the EO-CHIL program is the defeat of adver-
under battlefield-obscured conditions, and against a variety of sary anti-access and area denial (A2/AD) threat environments
countermeasures. with extended-range high-resolution imaging, hyperspectral
During the flight, aircrew aboard the AH-1Z demonstrated the sensing, and close-in imaging with expendable sensors.
missile’s compatibility with the aircraft as they navigated the The joint AFRL/Leidos effort will cover advanced research in
missile through various operational modes and exercised its focal plane arrays; optics, spectrometers, and optical systems;
active seeker to search out and acquire targets. test targets; collection of field and flight algorithms; simulation
of operational imagery; novel sensor concepts; and reduced
SWaP-C [size, weight, power, and cost] technology.
USAF awards $110 million contract for networked

cruise missile
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) granted
Lockheed Martin a $110 million, five-year/Phase 1 contract to
develop and demonstrate a lower-cost, networked cruise mis-
sile that will be called Gray Wolf.
Figure 1 | The Navy conducts Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) flight test on
the AH-1Z helicopter. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Navy. The Gray Wolf program is aimed at developing lower-cost,
subsonic cruise counter-integrated air defense missiles that
use open architecture, modular design methods, and net-
worked swarming behaviors that will enable rapid prototyping,
DoD orders advanced capacitors to aid in nonlethal enhanced growth capabilities, and maximized mission flexibility.
force protection, vehicle checkpoints The initial phase of the Gray Wolf program is anticipated to run
General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) won until late 2019. Initial demonstrations of the networked cruise
a contract from the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate missile will be from an F-16 aircraft and will be designed for
(JNLWD) through the Department of Defense Ordnance compatibility with F-35, F-15, F-18, B-1, B-2, and B-52 aircraft.
Technology Consortium to develop and supply advanced high-
energy-density capacitors intended for integration into a non-
lethal Pre-Emplaced Vehicle Stopper (PEVS) system for use in
force-protection and vehicle-checkpoint operations.
The PEVS system is a parked, nonintrusive device designed to
safely stop vehicles; when a vehicle rolls over a set of contacts,
the PEVS system delivers a short, intense electrical pulse to dis-
able the vehicle’s electrical components without harming the
vehicle’s passengers.
High-energy-density capacitors are used in applications
requiring many rapid charge/discharge cycles rather than long- Figure 2 | Illustration of the networked cruise missile. Image courtesy of
term compact energy storage. Lockheed Martin.

NEWS
U.S. Army contracts for full-rate production on Defense Dept. mounts initiative to support
M109A7 weapon vehicle university-industry research and cooperation
The U.S. Army awarded BAE Systems a contract that paves the The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced an award
way for full-rate production of the company’s M109A7 Self- competition for the Defense Enterprise Science Initiative (DESI),
Propelled Howitzer and M992A3 ammunition carrier vehicles. a pilot program that supports university-industry collaboration
The contract includes an initial $413.7 million portion to com- in the area of use-inspired basic research.
plete the final option for low-rate initial production on the
According to the DoD announcement of the competition,
program; the contract includes additional options that would
research topics will include autonomous unmanned aircraft
begin the full-rate production phase, which – if exercised –
systems (UASs), power beaming, soft active composites, and
would bring the cumulative value of the award to approxi-
metamaterial-based antennas. Additional topics suggested by
mately $1.7 billion.
applicants will also be considered.
The new M109A7 also uses technologies from previous design
programs – such as a 600-volt on-board power generation, dis- DESI incentivizes use-inspired basic research, which can be
tribution, and management system – used with a high-voltage explained as scientific study directed toward increasing fun-
electric gun drive and projectile ramming systems. damental knowledge and understanding in the context of
end-use applications. Through these projects and the resul-
BAE Systems will initially produce 48 vehicle sets, with the
tant solutions, DESI intends to accelerate the impact of basic
options calling for 60 sets per year, which will result in approxi-
research results on defense capabilities, inform existing or
mately three years of deliveries thereafter during full-rate pro-
future acquisition programs, and support sustainable collabo-
duction. Work on the M109A7 is now going on at the Anniston
ration between U.S. colleges and universities and the private
Army Depot in Alabama and at BAE Systems’ facilities in
sector. For more information on the DESI, please see the Broad
York, Pennsylvania; Elgin, Oklahoma; Aiken, South Carolina;
Agency Announcement (BAA) FA9550-18-S-B001.
Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Endicott, New York.
DARPA taps Raytheon for CODE’s Phase 3

development
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) officials
selected Raytheon to complete the development of the agen-
cy’s Collaborative Operations in Denied Environment (CODE)
program during Phase 3.
The program aims to extend the capability of the U.S. military’s
Figure 3 | The M109A7 program is an upgrade over the vehicle’s predecessor, existing unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) to conduct dynamic,
but uses the existing main armament and cab structure of the M109A6. long-distance engagements of highly mobile ground and mari-
Photo courtesy of BAE Systems.
time targets in contested or denied battlespaces.
To date, the program has conducted Phase 2 flight test series
with teams led by Lockheed Martin and Raytheon validating the
software open architecture and test framework. The tests flew
U.S. Air Force signs rocket development deal for
RQ-23 Tigershark UASs modified with CODE hardware and soft-
national-security space missions
ware to control flight direction, altitude, speed, and sensors.
The U.S. Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC)
signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement
(CRADA) with Orbital ATK to provide the framework and
plan for data exchanges needed to certify Orbital ATK’s Next
Generation Launch (NGL) system to carry national security
space missions.
According to Orbital ATK materials, the NGL family of vehicles
will be capable of launching science and commercial satellites
that are too large to be launched by Orbital ATK’s currently
offered Pegasus, Minotaur, and Antares space launch vehicles.
Orbital ATK officials state that the next phase of the NGL pro-
Figure 4 | DARPA’s Collaborative Operations in Denied Environment (CODE)
gram is expected to begin when the Air Force awards Launch program conducted Phase 2 flight tests with teams led by Lockheed Martin and
Services Agreements in mid-2018. Raytheon. Image courtesy of DARPA.

Special Report
RADAR DESIGN TRENDS
Radar on the
high seas
By Sally Cole, Senior Editor and
John McHale, Editorial Director
Modern maritime radar systems for

missile defense and navigation have
become more precise by leveraging
commercial signal processing and
radio frequency (RF) components
in modular designs that enable
commonality with clear technology
refresh paths.
An F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 piloted by Lt. Cmdr. Jamie Struck performs
an arrested landing aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). The aircraft carrier is underway conducting test and evaluation
operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Elizabeth Thompson/Released). All Gerald R. Ford-
class supercarriers will eventually be equipped with the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar from Raytheon.
Superior radar capability is key to enabling an effective missile defense, as adver- “Each RMS is roughly 2 feet by 2 feet by
sarial threats continue to grow in complexity and capability. In the maritime domain 2 feet in size, and is a standalone radar
this dominance is even more crucial as the U.S. and its allies look to upgrade their that can be grouped to build any size
maritime missile-defense and radar capability to counter the aggressiveness of North radar aperture – from a single RMA to con-
Korea and China. figurations larger than currently fielded
radars,” says Scott Spence, director of
Demands are also being placed on designers of maritime navigation radar to improve Naval Radar Systems for Raytheon.
the accuracy and performance of their systems, especially in high-clutter environments.
The AMDR consists of 37 RMAs, equiv-
In both cases, radar system designs are leveraging commercial components and alent to SPY-1D(V) +15 dB in terms of
building modular systems. sensitivity, according to Raytheon, which
essentially means that the SPY-6 can
Maritime missile defense see a target of half the size at twice the
Modularity and open architectures are important to the design of the Enterprise Air distance of today’s radars. Meanwhile,
Surveillance Radar (EASR) from Raytheon, which is being outfitted on all Gerald R. the EASR is a 9-RMA configuration –
Ford-class aircraft carriers and amphibious warships by the U.S. Navy. EASR enables which is equivalent to the sensitivity of
simultaneous anti-air and anti-surface warfare, electronic protection, and air-traffic- the current SPY-1D(V) radar on today’s
control capabilities, Raytheon says. destroyers, and at only 20 percent of the
size of the older SPS-48.
The system takes advantage of the highly scalable design and mature technologies of
Raytheon’s AN/SPY-6(V) Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR). Taking advantage of Array size, or the number of RMAs
modularity, both EASR and AMDR have been built with the same individual building needed, can be customized to the mis-
blocks, which Raytheon dubs Radar Modular Assemblies (RMAs). sion needs of a ship to provide it with the

Aegis Ashore brings maritime
missile defense capability to land
Lockheed Martin engineers have connected key components of the company’s
Aegis Ashore and Long-Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) technologies.
Aegis Ashore is the land-based ballistic missile defense adaptation of the Aegis
Combat System, currently fielded in Romania and soon to be fielded in Poland.
(See figure below.)
“Connecting these systems is more than a technological advantage – it’s a way to

provide the warfighter with earlier intelligence and expanded situational aware-
ness,” says Tony DeSimone, vice president and chief engineer of Lockheed Martin
Integrated Warfare Systems and Sensors. “Integration of these technologies
allows us to deliver the most advanced solid-state radar system in LRDR with the
proven tested capability of Aegis. For the warfighter, this combination provides an
increased capability in terms of additional performance and reaction time to safely
protect the people and nations they defend.”
Connecting the two systems is essentially a low-risk technology refresh of the

old SPY-1 antenna, which detects targets at longer distances, enabling engage-
ment of larger numbers of targets simultaneously, additional target engagement
opportunities, higher performance in complicated land environments, minimized
interference with civilian or military radio emitters and receivers, and increased use
of the new SM-3 Block IIA missile’s performance, according to Lockheed Martin.
Lockheed Martin’s solid-state radar (SSR) is a scalable gallium nitride (GaN)-based

radar building block. LRDR, the DoD’s newest ballistic missile defense sensor, will
leverage thousands of SSR building blocks to provide enhanced target acquisi-
tion, tracking, and discrimination data to the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense System
(BMDS). LRDR completed its critical design review in 2017 and is on track to be
operational in Alaska in 2020.
A demonstration showed that current and future versions of Aegis can simultane-
ously command tasking of the SSR and receive target tracks from the radar. The
capability “to spot and defeat potential next phase of activity will demonstrate simulated missile engagements with live
threats such as ballistic missiles, cruise tracking, which is scheduled for the first half of this year. These tests build on mul-
missiles, airborne adversaries, surface tiple previous demonstrations from 2015 and 2016, in which Aegis software variant
threats, electronic threats, or any com- Baseline 9 tracked live targets using a prototype version of Lockheed Martin SSR
bination of them,” Spence notes. “Its hardware powered by multipurpose Fujitsu GaN from Japan.
cooling, power, command logic, and
software are all scalable, which allows
for new instantiations without significant
radar development costs.”
Using a wideband digital beamforming

radar “supports better target detection
and discrimination,” he adds. “Adaptive,
wideband digital beamforming and
radar-signal/data-processing function-
ality provides exceptional capability in
adverse conditions, such as high clutter
and jamming environments. It’s also
reprogrammable to adapt to new mis-
sions or emerging threats.”
Two variants of EASR are being designed

with each facing an identical 9-RMA

Special Report RADAR DESIGN TRENDS
array: Variant 1 will be a single-face, rotating radar replacing AN/SPS-48 and -49 air less than gallium arsenide (GaAs) alter-
search radars. It will be the primary sensor for ship self-defense and situational aware- natives, deliver higher power density
ness and the designated radar for the LHA-8 and LX(R) platforms. Variant 2 will be three- and efficiency, and have shown mean
face, fixed-array radar replacing AN/SPY-4 Volume Search Radar. It will be the primary time between failures at 100 million
sensor for ship self-defense, situational awareness, and air-traffic control. It will also be hours, according to Raytheon says.
the designated radar for Gerald R. Ford-class supercarriers, starting with CVN 79.
Navigation and merchant
Commonality between the radar systems and open architectures plays an important marine radar
role in the design of the EASR. Modularity and commercial component
use continues to drive innovation in mar-
The SPY-6(V) features a fully programmable, back-end radar controller unit built out itime navigation radar systems.
of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) x86 processors. “This programmability allows the
system to adapt to emerging threats,” Spence says. “And the commercial nature “Lower-end systems are becoming less
of the x86 processors simplifies obsolescence replacement – as opposed to costly modular in hardware and more modular
technical refreshes/upgrades and associated downtime – which are savings that lower in software,” says Tim Acland, chief engi-
radar sustainment costs during each ship’s service life. The radar’s open architecture neer for Kelvin Hughes, a U.K.-based com-
also facilitates integration with existing and future combat-management systems.” pany that specializes in the design and
Designed for maintainability, standard line-replaceable unit (LRU) replacement in the manufacture of navigation and surveil-
RMA can be accomplished in under six minutes – requiring only two tools. lance systems. “Modularity in older sys-
tems was to enable repair of assemblies
Leveraging commercial semiconductor technology such as gallium nitride (GaN) has most likely to fail. The market demand
also enabled the advanced performance capabilities of the EASR, as well the AMDR. now is for products that don’t require
maintenance. Modularity also allows flexi-
Beyond GaN, Raytheon engineers also leveraged distributed receiver exciters and ble product configurability, which is more
adaptive digital beamforming in the EASR design. GaN components cost 34 percent often achieved in software these days than
in hardware. Scalability is less common
than in the past, although where it’s
required the trend is toward open inter-
faces and COTS hardware for expansion.
And where larger systems are required,
retaining highly integrated custom hard-
ware for lower-scale systems.”
Signal processing and IC innovation

Like military defense radar systems, mar-
itime navigation radars leverage COTS
digital signal processing (DSP) and inte-
grated circuit (IC) solutions to meet high-
level performance demands and reduce
long-term life cycle costs.
High-performance navigation and sur-

veillance sensors “are increasingly being
needed to perform more challenging
roles – such as ice detection, oil-spill de-
tection, diver/swimmer detection, drone
detection and tracking, and target classi-
fication,” Acland says. “These roles re-
quire even more signal processing than
their primary role and, in some cases,
require more data to be extracted from
target returns.” (Figure 1.)
“The digitization boundary continues

to move closer to the point of the radar
RF carrier frequency,” Acland adds. “This

“High-end sensors are using COTS DSP PCBs [printed circuit boards] – reducing the
integration of the manufacture in favor of concentrating on developing novel high-
performance processing routines – to implement and optimize low-level DSP in-house,
ahead of the generic IP block available on the market,” Acland explains. “This effort is
focused in software rather than in developing DSP-processing PCBs.
“Development life cycles of products are also typically much longer at the high end
versus low-end, which makes COTS a solution that supports products through a long
service and sales lifetime – without significant changes to software. In this type of
market, COTS hardware life cycles may be down to a few years, while core software
› Figure 1 | X-Band SharpEye radar

transceivers from Kelvin Hughes
enable clutter suppression through
functions may last more than 20 years.” MES
use of a patented pulse sequence,

pulse compression, and radar-return
processing to ensure that the radar
operator is presented with targets and
tracks on the display, while minimizing YOUR SOLUTION PROVIDER FOR...
the clutter from the severest of
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exploits the trends in higher-sampling-

frequency analog-to-digital converters
(ADCs) at a price point that is within
reach of the unit build cost of the sys-
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tems.” Digitization at higher frequen-
cies and wider bandwidths shifts the
focus “away from traditional analogue
signal processing and more toward dig-
ital signal processing,” Acland says. “As . : 990. ?0/
Moore’s Law marches on, transistor den-
sity and price point continue to enable
more digital signal processors per IC at Scalable, Multi-Protocol Connectivity
a given price point.” Compact Avionics Interface Computer
Applications Include:
“Lower-cost, high-volume radars are • Mission Interface Computer
being developed from hardware and - Interface with platform sensors & terminals
software stacks provided as develop- • Embedded Tester/Simulator
- Simulate/analyze sensors pre- & post-flight
ment kits and supported heavily by • Data Concentrator
field-application engineers and internal - Analyze, convert & consolidate multiple I/O types
developers of the large silicon IC manu- into single port
facturers,” Acland says. “The software Multi-Protocol Flexibility SWaP-C Optimized System
stacks include IP blocks such as FFTs [fast • Ethernet, MIL-STD-1553, ARINC 429/717, • Rugged Deployable Compact Enclosure
Fourier transforms], FIR [finite impulse CANbus 2.0/ARINC 825, RS-232/422/485, • High Computing Performance,
Avionics/Digital Discrete I/O, Video, WiFi, with Low Power Consumption
response] filters, operating systems, and GPS, Power Control, Motor Control, and
even prepackaged board support for Motion Feedback
• MIL-STD-810G Shock, Vibration, and
Immersion / MIL-STD-461F EMI
low- to mid-level software frameworks. • 3 modes (Remote Access, Protocol
Conversion, and Standalone)
The software development toolsets • Expandable: (2) Mini-PCIe sites and
for developing on these platforms are (1) I/O Expansion Module
increasingly integrated by the supplier
of the target software.” 54
YEARS OF
Midlevel sensors use a similar design

SERVICE
Bangalor, India | Feb. 13-16, 2018
approach, according to Acland, but with To learn more, visit Meet us at... EWCI 2018, Booth# 34
E-mail: appointment@ddc-web.com
less involvement from silicon manufac- www.ddc-web.com/C-AIC/MES
turers. “The design life cycles are longer,
integration levels lower, and the emphasis D ATA D E V I C E C O R P O R AT I O N
is on product flexibility,” he says.

Special Report
RADAR DESIGN TRENDS
Augmented
vision:
Fusing radars
and cameras
for improved
situational
awareness
By Dr. David G. Johnson
The advent of augmented reality (AR) systems is no longer the reserve of fighter pilots with heads-up displays and
soldiers with wearable AR goggles; AR is now being used in military surveillance systems as well. Superimposing context-
dependent graphical information as an overlay to camera video can aid in the interpretation of a complex surveillance
situation, enabling a faster response to threats, clarity of decision-making, and improved situational awareness.
The technological challenge regarding this situation, initial detection of the target with radar may drive the camera to the
the use of AR in surveillance arises from appropriate position to observe the target with a long-range camera.
the effective joining or fusing of informa-
tion to permit observations from one Additionally, radio transmissions – such as AIS (Automatic Identification System) and
sensor to benefit from information pro- ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) – provide useful information
vided by another sensor. The goal of concerning the identity and route of cooperating commercial ships and aircraft. The
such an arrangement is delivering an simplest combination of sensors occurs when one sensor simply cues another. For
enhanced perception of reality while at example, a radar detector may initially observe the target. The control process then
the same time reducing the cognitive drives the camera to the target’s location. The desired position (pan and tilt) of the
load on the operator. camera is calculated using simple geometry from the observed range and azimuth of
the target and the camera’s location. After the camera is positioned in this way, the
Information from sensors such as radar radar sensor need contribute nothing more. There are several options for the sub-
can be used to build a model of target sequent adjustment of the camera’s position:
classification and behavior that can be
added onto the live video images with 1. No adjustment: The camera simply points at the position of the target,
information positioned and filtered to as reported from the radar, and that is sufficient.
aid the interpretation of the camera 2. User-controlled: Any subsequent movement of the camera, for example to
data. Military security solutions com- follow the target, is handled by actions of the user from an on-screen or physical
monly integrate daylight and thermal joystick.
cameras with specialist sensors to meet 3. Radar-directed adjustment: The camera’s position may be subsequently adjusted
mission needs. For example, a security using updated information from the radar processing subsystem. This technique
application overlooking a coastal area is commonly called slew-to-cue.
may include a marine radar to provide 4. Video tracking: The position of the camera may be adjusted using a video tracker
detection of incoming surface or air tar- to calculate the position of the target in the camera’s field of view, and compute
gets beyond the range of cameras. In an error vector to move the camera to adjust the target center.

INFORMATION FROM SENSORS SUCH AS RADAR CAN BE
USED TO BUILD A MODEL OF TARGET CLASSIFICATION AND
BEHAVIOR THAT CAN BE ADDED ONTO THE LIVE VIDEO
IMAGES WITH INFORMATION POSITIONED AND FILTERED TO
AID THE INTERPRETATION OF THE CAMERA DATA.
By presenting the graphical overlays at a screen location that aligns with the observed
targets in the video, the operator is offered an enhanced interpretation – augmented
reality – thereby improving decision-making without increasing the cognitive load.
The real-time updates of the target derived from the radar sensor, for example, are
used to update the real-time presentation of the overlay. As the camera moves, the
Method 3 (radar-directed adjustment) Real world scene

continues to use information from the
radar in the presentation of the camera
video. The radar information is used to Camera observation Radar observation
recenter the camera according to the
detection from the radar. Camera
Movement
requests
For all the above camera-adjusting
methods, it is still possible to enhance Camera Camera Video Radar
Controller Acquisition Acquisition
the presentation of the camera video
by incorporating radar-derived infor-
mation as a graphical overlay. All of Video Radar
processing Processing and
this together is called augmented Target Tracking
vision.
Track
Augmented vision improves Classification
decision-making
A video picture from a camera may be AIS
Track Fusion
overlaid with static text to report useful
Radio
information from the camera or envi- transmissions
ronment. This might include the details from vessels
about the camera’s state, the time and
date, and status of camera controls. A Augmented
Reality Overlay
whole new dimension of possibilities Current
is opened by also overlaying contex- camera
angle is used
tual information relating to targets of
Track
interest in the scene, where the addi- Database
tional information may have come from
unrelated sensors such as radar or from
target-derived transmissions such as AIS
or ADS-B. (Figure 1.)
› Figure 1 | Augmented video: Radar data is processed to create tracks, which are fused
with AIS reports and then overlaid on the camera video. Information from the fused tracks
aids the interpretation of the video image.

Special Report RADAR DESIGN TRENDS
screen location of the graphic is adjusted to ensure that the augmented graphics are window, and the absolute angle of the
appropriately positioned to align with the target in the camera’s view. track, the appropriate position for the
target symbol can be calculated. With
As an example, consider a target that is being observed by radar and that the pro- a graphical symbol drawn at the correct
cessing of the radar data by a target tracker is enabling the target’s motion to be location, the video from the camera can
characterized as well. The target can then be represented by size, position, speed, and be overlaid with the related state informa-
direction. It may also be possible to make an initial classification of the target type based tion derived from the radar. Significantly,
on these parameters. The size (radar cross-section), behavior, and speed of a target, the position of this information must be
for example, can be used to suggest a classification, such as swimmer, buoy, unmanned recalculated in real time to ensure that
autonomous vessel (UAV), RIB, small boat, larger boat, helicopter, light aircraft, etc. the current position of the camera is used.
That position may be being adjusted by
The target information can then be used to present the AR overlay for the camera an operator, by an automatic slew-to-cue
display. Knowing the orientation of the camera, the field of view represented by the process, or by a closed-loop stabilization
process if the camera is mounted on a
moving platform.
AcroPacks ® = S W a P - C The principle of the processing is thus:

There are two data processing streams.
The camera video is displayed and
then overlaid with graphics information
derived from the radar processing. The
known angle and range of the target
measured by the radar is displayed at
a window location that is sensitive to
the angle of the camera, and continu-
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within Cambridge Pixel’s RadarWatch
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▪ Low-power consumption of camera video by showing relevant
target data as an overlay. The camera
▪ Solid-state electronics
may be moved by either an operator,
!
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▪ -40 to 85°C standard operating by a video tracker, or by slew-to-cue
temperature adjustment from the radar updates. The
radar-derived information is constantly
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relevant data that comes from the asso-
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Embedded I/O Solutions ciated AIS record, such as ship ID, desti-
nation port, cargo, etc.
RadarWatch provides an integrated dis-

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Ethernet I/O Modules FPGA Modules AcroPack® I/O Modules SFF Embedded Computers with primary radar tracks fused with
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www.acromag.com | solutions@acromag.com | 877-295-7088 to camera video. The software sup-
ports the specification of complex alarm

criteria based on the position of targets in any combination of areas of interest, near Augmented vision clearly offers improve-
to the coast line, designated locations, or other targets. When an alarm is triggered, ments in the interpretation of complex
the actions may include camera cueing, initiation of recording, and audible and visual sensor data in military security applica-
signaling. The display and overlays deliver an enhanced perception of reality and offer tions, which enables more efficient clas-
a reduced cognitive load for the user. (Figure 3.) sification of threats and faster detection
of targets needing assistance. The key
element with such systems is to process
and display this additional sensor data
intelligently to help the operator to
make faster, clearer, and better-informed
decisions. MES
David G. Johnson
is Cambridge Pixel’s
technical director
and has more
than 25 years of
experience working
in radar processing
and display systems. He holds
a B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Electronic
Engineering from the University of
Hull in the U.K. David can be reached
at dave@cambridgepixel.com.
› Figure 2 | The video from the camera is overlaid with relevant target-specific data derived
from the radar and other sensors.
Cambridge Pixel
www.cambridgepixel.com
› Figure 3 | RadarWatch integrates radar and camera video, with augmented reality adding radar-derived information to aid the interpretation of
the camera video.

Mil Tech Trends
SIGNAL PROCESSING TRENDS
IN RADAR, SONAR, AND
ELECTRONIC WARFARE
The path
to smarter,
autonomous
radar and EW
platforms
By Mariana Iriarte, Technology Editor
The Integrated Cyber and Electronic Warfare program at the Army Research, Development and Engineering Command’s
Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center looks to leverage cyber and electronic warfare
capabilities as an integrated system to increase situational awareness for battlefield commanders. Army illustration.
Data flowing from radar and “In general, the demands from military customers are interconnected sensors and com-
electronic warfare (EW) systems munications that are fast, robust, and hard to detect, and jammers that can be adaptive
to the unknown threat,” says Peter Thompson, Director, Business Development –
to the analyst’s screen will determine
Technology, at Abaco Systems (Boston, Massachusetts).
the course of action in any given
mission. Bearing in mind that It’s that unknown threat that keeps designers and engineers up at night pushing the
decisions need to be made, at times defense industry to innovate and use relatively new techniques such as AI, machine
learning, and DL. “The advantage of AI is that the algorithms can adapt to changing
in seconds, it’s critical for radar and
environments and scenarios. AI can also replace human operators in systems where
EW systems to quickly sift through human involvement is required for target recognition,” Thompson adds.
that data and turn it into actionable
intelligence. To achieve this goal, Instead of humans analyzing the data, the idea is to move to intelligent artificial means
of analyzing that data. Neural networks, or the presently used term “deep learning,”
the defense industry is using artificial
essentially means having a smart computer that can make decisions and think more
intelligence (AI), machine learning like humans, according to an MIT news article titled “Explained: Neural networks,”
(ML), and deep learning (DL) (available on news.mit.edu./2017/explained-neural-networks-deep-learning-0414).
techniques to program these systems
“Neural networks can be used in these systems for clutter rejection, target detection,
and make them into smarter, more
classification, and tracking,” Thompson explains.
autonomous tools.
“The community is looking for a better way to get actionable intelligence,” Rodger
The journey starts at the design table, Hosking, vice president and cofounder of Pentek. “There is so much information being
as the environment continues to drive gathered right now by the current technology that it is virtually impossible for the
toward a more intelligent and con- human mind to sift through it in real time. Information is different from knowledge, as
nected battlefield. Graphics processing knowledge is something you can act upon. So the buzz this year is about how to auto-
units (GPUs), field-programmable gate mate the evaluation of information using new strategies like artificial intelligence and
arrays (FPGAs), and general-purpose learning algorithms that can help boost the speed and accuracy of decision-making
computing graphics processing units abilities of the humans in the loop.”
(GPGPUs) are only part of the equa-
tion to program smarter radar and The trends continue upward with the use of these techniques because “these algo-
EW systems; sensors also play a big role rithms are very sophisticated in that in order to be able to pick out these targets, these
in capturing data. The catch? Military machines have to think more like a human,” says Marc Couture, product manage-
users want all of this functionality in ever- ment and systems application engineering management at Curtiss-Wright Defense
smaller, lighter systems. Solutions (Littleton, Massachusetts).

The adaptive intelligent battlefield: to fully utilize the FPGA and GPGPU capacity that is now available, we need to move
The challenges ahead to more exotic cooling techniques such as air-flow-through (AFT), or even liquid-flow-
As the years roll by, radar and EW solu- through (LFT).”
tions will leverage more of techniques
being used to identify targets and im- Hosking’s view lines up with this, as he states, “Packaging and thermal management
prove the decision-making process. Addi- becomes increasingly difficult since component density is always increasing. New
tionally, integrating these methods “will materials and better EDA modeling tools are helping. As complexity increases at
lead to smarter, more autonomous radar every system level, fully functional subsystems become more attractive to systems
and EW platforms,” Thompson remarks. integrators. Also, high-level software tools and APIs help by abstracting the details.”
Furthermore, a more widely distributed/ Abaco’s Thompson says, “In the field of deployable AI-based solutions, the challenges
intelligent sensor network will require will be twofold. The first challenge is developing rugged processing systems powerful
even more emphasis on cybersecurity, enough to host the compute-intensive neural network-based algorithms.”
Thompson adds: “If the enemy can
break into a single node and disable a The other question can only be answered as these systems are used in the theater:
function across a network, it would rep- “With such a connected and intelligent system, a major challenge will be proving the
resent a major vulnerability. As such, effectiveness of the techniques against an adaptive and unknown enemy,” Thompson
cybersecurity will continue to be a major says. “If our systems become so smart that we can’t prove they work coherently, this
part of systems that include radar and will pose a critical challenge to military operators to trust the effectiveness of these new
EW signal processing.” digital weapons.”
It’s not only security concerns, but the More intelligent radar and EW tools have software challenges as well. “We are facing
processing demands and packaging as several challenges right now. The first is the creation of the algorithm (the intelli-
well, says Denis Smetana, senior product gence). Creating a large enough data set, formatting, and tagging the data are just
manager, FPGA products, for Curtiss- a few of the challenges and requirements of training the algorithm. The computa-
Wright Defense Solutions: “How do we tional power and time required to train the algorithm complicates the challenge,” says
manage the power and the thermal heat Tammy Carter, senior product manager for OpenHPEC products for Curtiss-Wright
that is being generated? In order for us Defense Solutions (Ashburn, Virginia).
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Mil Tech Trends SIGNAL PROCESSING TRENDS IN RADAR, SONAR, AND ELECTRONIC WARFARE
In addition, “One of the bottlenecks that we see in FPGA is with the memory. Many
algorithms, including deep learning, require large amounts of data to be stored while
being processed, which requires both a large capacity of memory as well as a high-
throughput memory interface.”
Programming with AI, ML, and DL

Programming algorithms to quickly respond to threats and think more like humans
is part of the challenge of designing intelligent systems; it’s also about which type of
hardware to use to ensure a successful mission for the warfighter. “Some would argue
that the real battle is going to come down to FPGA versus a more general-purpose
type of processing – either a true CPU approach, such as with Xeon, or with a GPU-
› Figure 1 | The VP881 is a 3U VPX
FPGA carrier featuring the new VITA
FMC+ standard and a Zynq Ultrascale+
multiprocessor system-on-chip.
based processing approach,” says Mark Littlefield, head vertical product manager,
Photo courtesy of Abaco Systems
defense, at Kontron (Laguna Niguel, California).
“We are seeing FPGAs playing a pretty
“It’s sort of a three-way balancing act where developers need to select the best big role, but we are also seeing more gen-
approach between the ease of development, the gigaflops per watt, and the longevity eral processing such as the Intel Xeon,”
of supply,” he adds. “FPGAs and CPUs each have their pluses and minuses against Littlefield says. “The current generation,
these three important units of measure.” the Intel Xeon D, is actually quite a potent
processor capable of handling machine
When mixing GPUs, FPGAs, and the concept of AI, “says Thompson, “the use of learning and artificial intelligence kinds
neural networks for signal processing is not new, but the practicality of deploying of problems. I think the radar and EW
these techniques in SWaP [size, weight, and power]-constrained systems in the battle- developers are taking a really pragmatic
field is only just becoming real. New generations of processing hardware, with GPUs approach by letting the embedded com-
at the forefront, are now enabling AI to be applied to replace or enhance traditional puting industry, which is influenced by
signal-processing techniques in radar and EW.” everything from finance to autonomous
vehicles, drive the base technologies for
As Smetana explains, “GPUs have always been easier than FPGAs to program, which machine learning and AI. They can then
has historically given FPGAs a bad reputation due to the fact that you need highly lift and utilize those technologies when
trained engineers to be able to efficiently use them. However, as FPGA and GPGPU they are available.”
vendors fight for control of the data center market, FPGA vendors are working hard
to develop the tools to break this paradigm, which will ultimately benefit the defense The GPU versus FPGA argument continues
industry. The result is the software and tools that are really needed to efficiently map as GPGPUs are added to the equation,
machine-learning algorithms into FPGAs.” with the salient piece the evolution of
leveraging commercial solutions for mili-
Smetana further analyzes the pros and cons of FPGAs: “One of the advantages of tary applications. “One of the things that
FPGAs is that they are reconfigurable. Therefore, they are well-suited for environments we’ve seen, a big trend, has been the
where the user needs the system to adapt to the current situation. For deep-learning introduction of GPGPUs into electronic
applications, FPGAs are more power efficient than GPGPUs and have lower latency. warfare,” Couture says. “GPGPUs have
So over time, I expect to see both FPGAs and GPGPUs used for deep learning, with historically been used for gaming systems
GPGPUs heavily on the training side, and an edge to FPGAs on the deployment side.” and for rendering video displays.”
Regarding FPGAs and reduced SWaP, many in the industry are looking forward to It’s critical to point out, however, that,
when Xilinx releases its RF system-on-a-chip (SoC) solution. It will have more ADCs “While the FPGA is important, it’s only
and DACs built in, says Noah Donaldson, Vice President of Product Development for one piece of the puzzle,” Thompson
Annapolis Micro Systems in Annapolis, Maryland. This will enable SWaP reductions as remarks (Figure 1). “To enable adaptive
the same functionality and performance of previous systems is not only increased, but and machine-learning algorithms, designs
enabled in a smaller footprint, which also reduces overall size as one board can now must work with the latest CPU [central
do the work of multiple boards, he explains. RF SoC will also enable more functionality processing unit] and GPU technology. In
in military radar and electronic warfare solutions, Donaldson adds. truth, it’s a ‘use the right tool for the job’
argument.”
For reduced SWaP applications Annapolis offers an FPGA board called the WILDSTAR
UltraKVP ZPB DRAM for 3U OpenVPX – WB3XB0. These FPGA boards include 1 Xilinx The goal: Being able to program “very
Kintex Ultrascale XCKU115 or Virtex Ultrascale+ XCVU5P/XCVU7P/XCVU9P FPGA different types of processors, and get
with 64 High Speed Serial connections performing up to 32.75 Gbps. There are two them to talk to each other and also being
80-bit DDR4 DRAM interfaces clocked up to 1200 MHz. The on-board quad ARM CPU able to use these new paradigms, like
runs to 1.3 GHz local application requirements. It is accessible over backplane PCIe or deep learning and machine learning.”
Ethernet and provides dedicated AXI interfaces to all FPGAs. Couture says.

Data and the role of sensors on the software and tools that are really needed to efficiently map machine-learning-type
intelligent battlefield algorithms into FPGAs.”
Ultimately, high-performing operation
of intelligent systems comes down the The warfighter no longer has the luxury to sift through data for actionable intelligence,
data and the data analysts. “Long before while “adaptive countermeasures can dynamically jam or modify signals to evade
the algorithms can teach themselves, or confuse the enemy,” Hosking adds. “These capabilities continually become more
they must be taught by the analysts, refined and precise as new technology evolves.”
and before those analysts can train the
machines they must be trained to think Automating some of these processes is the answer to the massive amount of
like the machines,” Carter says. data coming in through each mission. “Automatic classification of signals helps
identify and segregate targets faster and more accurately than human operators,”
This continues to be a problem, however, Hosking says. MES
as there are not enough humans or ana-
lysts to sift through the huge amounts of
generated data. For radar and EW ap-
plications, the data is everything. “One
shorter-term off-spin will be the need
for more real-time data storage on plat-
forms to gather ‘raw’, real-world sensor
data to facilitate neural network train-
ing,” Thompson says.
The quest for the truly adaptive battle-

field will keep pushing sensors to the
limit to gather actionable intelligence.
“Beyond the three-year horizon, a major
challenge will be the expansion in the
number of sensors and jammers on the
battlefield,” Thompson says. “It won’t
be one high-value platform, but many
smaller systems all playing a role on the
adaptive battlefield.”
“The continued trend is for an exponen-

tial increase in sensor data,” Couture says.
“There is far too much of it and far too
few analysts associated with electronic
warfare and ISR sensors. This includes
the data gathered from electro-optic
infrared imagery data, the higher-
resolution cameras, all of the RF micro-
wave tuners, etc.”
Processing requirements are becoming

more demanding, not just for the in-
creasingly large waterfall of sensor data,
but for sensor fusion where you’re basi-
cally cross-correlating phased-array radar
matrices and mapping that over RF
emitter data and electro-optic imagery,
for instance, Couture continues.
Smetana points out: In addition to the

“work that’s going on in the data center
market, which is maybe not necessarily
related to military, but from a business-
case standpoint, that’s driving a lot of the

Mil Tech Trends
ELECTRONIC WARFARE
VITA 48.8 Air

Flow Through
Cooling standard
lowers SWaP-C
on deployed
VPX systems
By David Vos and Ivan Straznicky
The ongoing challenge for commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) system developers is to balance the competing
approaches to reduce the system’s size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) while trying to deploy the most modern
technologies. Today, system integrators are confronting a rapidly narrowing margin for achieving that balancing act.
While the power and density of devices has increased, platform ambient boundary conditions haven’t changed.
The result is tighter and tighter margins. The only option: Become more efficient in removing heat from the system.
While thermal management for deployed systems is becoming harder, platforms’ and Mission Systems, VITA 48.8 helps
weight constraints are getting more severe. Many modern platforms, such as rotary-lift reduce weight and cost for high-density,
helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are increasingly weight-constrained, high-power-dissipation 3U and 6U
with every additional pound on a system affecting mission duration and range. module-based systems by eliminating
the use of wedgelocks and ejector/
As system integrators get squeezed from every direction when dealing with SWaP-C, injector handles. It also supports alter-
there is some good news. The recently ratified ANSI Standard ANSI/VITA 48.8-2017, native air flow arrangements, allowing
“Mechanical Standard for Electronic VPX Plug-in Modules Using Air Flow Through air inlet at both card edges. Because
Cooling” (ANSI/VITA 48.8) represents an approach for cooling embedded systems VITA 48.8 does not use module-to-
using an air flow through (AFT) technique that significantly reduces the SWaP-C of chassis conduction cooling, it also
deployed electronics while increasing the reliability of avionics systems and enabling promises to help drive innovative use of
the deployment of hotter contemporary devices. As the ability to cool today’s hotter new lightweight polymer or composite
modules using traditional conduction-cooling methods becomes less viable, VITA 48.8 material-based chassis. (Figure 1 and
greatly widens the thermal management margin while providing a better system plat- Figure 2.) The ANSI/VITA 48.8 standard
form alternative to the complexity and infrastructure required by liquid cooling. enhances previous design challenges
for AFT cooling, such as pressure drop,
VITA 48.8 is the first open-standard AFT technology to support small-form-factor 3U flight altitude, air-cooling, air-flow intake,
VPX COTS modules, which are preferred for use in SWaP-C-sensitive rotorcraft and heat exchanges, and exhaust paths.
unmanned platforms. Based on technologies developed by Lockheed Martin Rotary ANSI/VITA 48.8-compliant modules use

a finned heat-exchanger frame located
within the central section of the assembly
to top-cool primary circuit board and
mezzanine board components.
At the system and platform levels,

the key benefit of the VITA 48.8 AFT
approach is size and weight reduction
versus the infrastructure required to
implement liquid cooling. At the elec-
tronics module level, the key benefit is
greatly improved thermal management. FIGURE 1
Compared to module conduction cool-
ing (VITA 48.2) or chassis liquid cooling
alternatives, VITA 48.8 enables system
integrators to nearly double the elec-
tronics functional density that can be
deployed in a given chassis or even
reduce overall avionics weight by hun-
dreds of pounds per aircraft. For the
warfighter, the reductions in SWaP-C pro-
vided by VITA 48.8 can deliver a signifi-
cant increase in mission range, payload,
and fuel economy, while enabling un-
precedented levels of compute power
to be fielded for new capabilities.
VITA 48.8 preserves the laws FIGURE 2

of physics
The main reason that VITA 48.8 is so
compelling for embedded system
designers: Power and heat are rising on
devices and modules and you can’t break
› Figure 1 and 2 | Traditional conduction-cooling (Figure 1) methods are becoming less
viable for today’s hotter-running modules. VITA 48.8-compliant AFT modules use a finned
heat-exchanger frame located within the central section of the assembly to top-cool primary
circuit board and mezzanine board components (Figure 2).
the laws of physics. Over the last 20 or
30 years, as conduction cooling became For real-time deterministic applications typical of intelligence, surveillance, and recon-
established as the approach for the naissance (ISR) platforms, the challenge of maintaining an 85 °C card edge is critical.
majority of the hottest VME- and VPX- Consider an FPGA device’s power dissipation over temperature. If the FPGA’s 85 °C
based systems, the basic goal was the junction temperature goes up to 100 °C, the actual current draw goes up by 30 per-
ability to effectively cool a 50 W card to cent, resulting in nonlinear power dissipation and the potential of a thermal runaway
platform ambient. It’s already common- condition. To avoid thermal runaway, many multicore processors employ throttling,
place today to have a 50 W processor, which – while it protects the device from overheating – can create a sudden reduction
field-programmable gate array (FPGA), in performance that can prove critical. Due to the threat of thermal runaway there is
or general-purpose graphics processor a drive to maintain the module junction temperature at 85 °C, but (as pointed out
unit (GPGPU) device on a host card. earlier) this approach creates a physics impossibility without adding active cooling/
refrigeration to the platform.
Now consider the addition of a mezza-
nine card: It’s increasingly likely to find Dispelling the “heat sandwich” problem
a 100 W 3U VPX module hosting a 50 W Another compounding challenge for system designers seeking to cool contempo-
XMC card. Unfortunately, it’s just not rary 3U cards and mezzanine modules is the problem of heat being “sandwiched”
feasible to cool the 150 W resulting from between the two boards. Typically in an open architecture system, the primary side
the combined host and mezzanine cards of the mezzanine card is positioned to face the primary side of the host card. That
using VITA 48.2 cooling. That’s because design results in the high-power-density components designed for top cooling on the
it’s just not possible to hold 85 °C at the two cards being positioned directly against each other. VITA 48.2 attempts to pull the
mezzanine mounting points when a 3U resulting heat out through the wedgelocks, but there are additional conductive and
host card that’s designed to an 85 °C interface thermal resistances that limit this method’s effectiveness and efficiency. The
card edge hosts a mezzanine. Physics VITA 48.8 heat exchanger approach provides an ideal way to solve the sandwiched
says there has to be a higher tempera- heat problem, because it brings cool air as close as possible to the devices’ primary
ture for the mezzanine card than for the thermal path, effectively decoupling the sandwiched heat between the cards and
host’s card edge. driving it out via the air flowing between the two cards’ primary sides.

While efforts have been made over the years to improve the efficiency of conduction platform level, the additional weight
cooling through the use of exotic materials for either the module frame or wedgelocks, required for a liquid cooling system can
there have been diminishing returns in effectiveness with this approach. Another push offset the benefits at the module level. In
has been to lower the boundary conditions, by driving the card edge temperature comparison, VITA 48.8 can significantly
below 85 °C to 70 °C or even in some cases to 60 °C. From the system integrator reduce overall system weight. Effectively
perspective, that approach is problematic. Given a 49 °C exterior air temperature, cooling 3U conduction-cooled mod-
plus the solar and other subsystems’ heat loads, that equates to 70 or 71 °C inlet tem- ules and XMC cards – assuming each
perature into the chassis when using ambient air cooling. Using a refrigerant-based has 50 W chips on-card – to an 85 °C
cooling method to achieve a colder card edge comes with a high SWaP-C penalty and card edge requires a chassis with liquid
a significant amount of infrastructure at the platform level. cooling in the sidewalls. Consider the
following design scenario: A system
From a systems perspective, a very dense, high-power conduction module might be architecture that starts with a single half
attractive in terms of size and weight, but when considered from the chassis and ATR [Air Transport Radio] box to house
conduction-cooled modules may need a
second half ATR box that serves purely
as a liquid-to-air heat exchanger in order
to effectively deploy the solution.
With VITA 48.8, the entire second half

ATR box is eliminated, saving con-
siderable weight and system size. In
comparison, implementation of AFT
cooling and achieving the 85 °C junction
temperature with VITA 48.8 typically
requires only a 20 to 50 percent increase
in size and weight of a select few high-
power modules and power supplies.
Instead of 1-inch pitch modules, either
1.2-inch or 1.5-inch pitch modules will
be needed, depending on the power
and power density of the specific mod-
ules. (Figure 3.) Consider this example: If
there are over 100 boxes on a platform,
and VITA 48.8 enables each chassis to
save five pounds, the overall benefit is
500 pounds saved, per platform, at the
vehicle level.
Condensation not an issue with

VITA 48.8
Another issue that system integrators
need to understand when considering
liquid cooling is condensation. When
the system’s coolant temperature is
driven below the dew point of the avail-
able ambient air on the platform, con-
densation problems arise. Condensation
resulting from cold inlet air/coolant sup-
plied below the dew point has even
been observed in controlled laboratory
environments during the systems inte-
gration and testing process. When the
system is deployed on the platform, in
an uncontrolled environment, the dew
point can be at or below the ambient
temperature, which may be way above
the coolant requirement.

A43_MESys-2_12x10qxp.qxp_Layout 1 12/14/17
100
HIGH VOLTAGE
Junction Temperature trend
Temperature (Celsius)
85
DC-DC Converters
VITA 48.8 Maximum Allowable Inlet Temperature
70
s
Exotic VITA 48.2 Maximum Allowable Inlet Temperature
NEW! SA Serie
55
Uncontrolled compartment
1% day (49C with up to 100% relative humidity)
Classic VITA 48.2 Maximum Allowable Inlet Temperature
Vented compartment
40
100 to 1000 VDC out
Commercial /ECS
25 High Power 3 Watts
Power
Ultra Miniature Size
SOURCE: LOCKHEED MARTIN OWG201711003
0.55" x 0.75" x 0.4"

› Figure 3 | Qualitative system level power impacts.
100-1000 VDC Output
Hi-Efficiency/Excellent Load
Regulation
In one user anecdote, a platform gained more than 200 pounds of condensation after Single Output with Center Tap
landing on a tropical island. In addition to adding unwanted weight on platforms
where every ounce matters, condensation can damage or destroy fielded electronics
equipment. VITA 48.8 delivers the needed cooling efficiency by providing the shortest
Shown
path from the cooling air at the platform level to the junction temperature. It also Actual Size
eliminates the condensation problem because it uses an integral fan that ensures
operation is always above the dew point (including in operational situations where the
Input Over Voltage/Over
relative humidity is over 100 percent). Temperature Protection
Remote Shutdown
For system designers of deployed COTS systems for aerospace and defense applica-
tions, VITA 48.8 provides a big step forward in being able to design and cool today’s • 100 to 1,000 VDC Outputs
leading-edge 3U modules. AFT can provide significant longevity for 3U-based designs • Input Voltage, 5V, 12V, 24V,
into the future; by enabling the use of today’s hottest, most advanced semiconductor 28V DC Standard
devices, it will drive the deployment of upgraded and new capabilities and more • Isolated - Input to Output
compute-capable systems. • Ultra Miniature - 0.55"x 0.75"x 0.4"
• Excellent Load Regulation
VITA 48.8-compliant plug-in modules will provide government and industry customers
• Hi Reliability/Custom Models
with significant cost savings and approximately 40 percent weight savings for avi-
• Military Upgrades/Environmental
onics systems deployed in platforms such as Future Vertical Lift aircraft. Even better,
Screening Available
this new cooling technology preserves investment in existing electrical and software
• Call Factory 800-431-1064
architectures and protects electronic components from environmental contamination.
PICO
The new cooling standard defines design requirements for platforms that need high
performance processing, graphics. or electronic warfare capabilities, which means that Electronics,Inc.
AFT-cooled plug-in VPX modules – including both 3U and 6U form factors – retains the 143 Sparks Ave, Pelham, NY 10803-1837
current VITA 46.0 and VITA 65 connector interoperability. MES E-Mail: info@picoelectronics.com
David Vos is a Lockheed Martin Fellow.

Visit our NEW Website
www.picoelectronics.com
For Full Product Specifications
Ivan Straznicky is a Curtiss-Wright Fellow.
MILITARY • COTS • INDUSTRIAL

Lockheed Martin DC-DC CONVERTERS & POWER SUPPLIES
www.lockheedmartin.com TRANSFORMERS & INDUCTORS
Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions

www.curtisswrightds.com

Mil Tech Trends
ELECTRONIC WARFARE
Using
thermofluid
simulation to
optimize liquid
cooling of
avionics power
systems
By Michael Croegaert
A four-ship formation of F-22 Raptors from the 94th Fighter Squadron and 1st Fighter Wing fly in formation over the
Rocky Mountains in Colorado after participating in an exercise during late summer of 2017. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Carlin Leslie)
Liquid cooling for military signal processing offers advantages in high-power-density systems to dissipate heat at
a higher rate than air-cooled systems and to transfer heat further away efficiently for thermal signature control. When
using liquid-cooling systems, the challenge is to meet size, weight, and power (SWaP) goals while ensuring design for
performance and reliability. A method is presented on how to model, characterize, and optimize the performance of cold-
plate designs using 3-D computer-aided design (CAD)-embedded computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to
then immediately use this data in a system-level, fluid-dynamics simulation model of a full-pumped, liquid-cooling system.
This 1-D/3-D CFD, model-based design approach enables earlier and more accurate evaluation of physical components.
The problem of heat in modern military aircraft electronic components. Liquid-cooled systems have a much
Advanced avionics, radar, and weaponry control are all signifi- higher heat-transfer rate than air-cooled, and heat can be trans-
cant sources of heat within the fuselage of a military aircraft. The ported further from the source.
power supplies used to support these electronics also create
heat. As more functions are computerized and electronics are However, cooling avionics with liquid has its challenges as well:
smaller, packed into tighter spaces, dissipating this heat gets Traditional air-cooled heat sinks are replaced with cold plates
complicated. Proper cooling cannot be done without enough that have internal passageways designed to circulate coolant and
space for the air to flow. As the heat builds up in the fuselage, absorb the heat from the electronics. The coolant is pumped
it has to be dissipated from the instrument panel and cockpit. through a heat exchanger or a series of heat exchangers to
extract the heat. The cooling medium can either be air or another
Composites used to build a lightweight aircraft structure and liquid or a hybrid system that uses a combination of both air and
to block heat signatures from detection cannot be used, when liquid cooling. The architecture of the components (cold plates,
considering thermal design, to dissipate heat generated by the etc.) used for extracting the heat from the electronics component
interior electronics. Waste heat must be dissipated by other must be optimized to perform consistently and reliably while
means such as ducting or active cooling devices. The need maintaining the smallest footprint possible. Additionally, these
for alternative means of extracting heat from the avionics sys- systems require piping, pumps, valves, and controls as well as a
tems has led to advances in the development of liquid-cooled heat sink. In most military applications, the heat sink is the fuel.

› Figure 1 | Simplified layout of the liquid-cooled avionics
is shown.
Using the fuel of an aircraft as a heat sink was considered as

far back as the late 1960s and early 1970s, when joint research
by General Electric and the Wright-Patterson Air Force base
looked into the heat capacity of the fuel for different regional
› Figure 2 | Close-up of the cockpit with liquid-cooled cold plate
is shown.
and flight profiles [1]. The concept has garnered interest again best option for the internal geometry: whether it should con-
as the industry sees advancement in aircraft structures and elec- tain pins, fins, or open passageways and whether the fins are
tronics and the desire to keep the heat and radar signature of aligned or staggered.
the aircraft as small as possible.
Three-dimensional thermal simulation provides highly accurate
A good example of a liquid-cooling system is the one used on results for the performance of the cold plate; however, trying to
the F-22 Raptor. The coolant, polyalphaolefin (PAO), is circu- model the entire cooling system with such a tool would result
lated through the cold plates of the mission-critical electronics in an enormous mesh size and would take too long. In such
in the cockpit and pumped out to the wings to cool remote, cases where component location, sizing, and heat exchanger
embedded sensors. From there, the warm PAO passes through performance are the critical aspects, a 1-D tool is effective for
an air-cycle machine where it absorbs even more heat before a full-system simulation.
being sent through a heat exchanger that dumps the heat from
the PAO to the fuel. Optimizing at the system level
The example we look at here is similar to the situation on the
The real challenge of these cooling systems is to create an opti- F-22 Raptor, although the exact system parameters were not
mized design that keeps the mission-critical electronics at their used because this information is not publicly available. The
desired operating temperature of 68 °F [2], working properly overall layout is shown in Figure 1. For simplification, only one
no matter the mission and flight profile, whether the fuel tank is of the liquid-cooled cold plates was modeled.
full (large heat sink) or nearly empty (small heat sink). To achieve
this, the cold plates, piping system, and heat exchangers must All the other cooled components were modeled as simple
be designed simultaneously to determine how they interact lumped parameter components. This can be seen in a close-
with each other. The design validation of the cold plates can up view of the cockpit (Figure 2). The blue lines represent the
be done with 3-D thermal simulation and analysis to find the piping containing the cold PAO sent to the cold plates, and the

red lines represent the warm PAO leaving the cold plates and constructed in the Siemens NX CAD program and meshed
going to the wing sensors and the air-cycle machine. The green with Mentor’s CAD-embedded thermal-simulation software
lines represent the fuel circuit used for cooling the PAO. inside the NX interface. The IGBT chips and diodes were the
heat sources: 360 W and 144 W, respectively. Simulations were
For optimizing the system, five different cold-plate designs run for each cold-plate design at a volumetric flow rate of
were considered. Once these designs were evaluated in the 5 liters (L)/min, and the results were compared. The time to
3-D thermal-simulation tool, they were compared for their complete one analysis run of this model was 4.5 hours with
standalone performance and how well they perform in the a person interacting for 2.5 hours on a four-core computer
system as a whole. (Table 1). A 16-core machine was used to conduct a 16-run
parametric study, which was completed in 16 hours.
Evaluating cold-plate designs
The main influences to consider in the thermal design of the Figure 4 shows that the design without any enhanced heat-
cold plates are fluid velocity, heat transfer area, and the compa- transfer surfaces had the lowest weight and the lowest pressure
rable ratios of size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C). drop but also the highest operating temperature, significantly
higher than all the other designs. The other designs were more
An increase of the fluid velocity increases the heat-transfer similar in operating temperatures, but pressure drop varied
coefficient. This leads to a higher heat flow rate, which leads to greatly. The shifted-fin design had the highest pressure drop
lower chip temperatures. At the same time, higher velocities and was the heaviest of the designs.
cause an increased pressure drop, which increases the energy
consumption for pumps. The heat-transfer surface area can be A parametric study of each design was also conducted by
changed significantly by adding enhanced surfaces such as pins varying the volumetric flow-rate boundary condition from 1.5 to
or fins (Figure 3). The effectiveness of these enhanced surfaces 5 L/min. Figure 5 shows that all the cold-plate designs that had
depends on their arrangement and aligned or shifted patterns. enhanced heat-transfer surfaces performed similarly for heat
For example, a shifted arrangement usually leads to a higher dissipation at a flow rate of 1.5 L/min and above, but pres-
heat flow rate compared to an aligned arrangement, but at the sure drop differed significantly between the aligned and shifted
same time leads to an increased pressure drop.
Time overhead across the
Time (hr.)
The enhanced features also can have a significant impact on simulation workflow
SWaP-C, as the additional surface area affects the size and Setup calculation project
1.5
weight of the cold plate. Additional material is required to con- definition, pre-processing
struct the enhanced surfaces, which increases cost because of Solving time (including automatic meshing) 2.0
more complex tooling and manufacturing requirements.
Results processing 1.0
Simulating the cold plates Total 4.5

In this example, the cold plates and associated electronics User time, approximately 2.5
(insulated gate bipolar transistors [IGBTs] and diodes) were Intel Xeon CPU E5-2630 v3 @ 2.40 GHz (2 CPU) 4 cores
Number of cells, total 1,500,000 cells
16-point parametric study on 16 cores 9.0 hours
› Table 1 | Analysis statistics for the 3-D thermal simulation of the

liquid-cooled cold plate.
› Figure 3 | The five possible geometry configurations for

the cold plate designs that were simulated (top) are shown. CAD
models from left to right: no enhanced heat transfer, aligned pins, › Figure 4 | Pressure drop versus operating temperature
and weight of cold-plate designs is shown. Bubble size represents
shifted pins, aligned fins, shifted fins (bottom). the relative weight of cold plate.

Results from the parametric studies demonstrated that two of
the designs performed better than the others: These are the
THE DESIGN VALIDATION OF THE COLD
two designs that have the enhanced heat-transfer surfaces, pins
PLATES CAN BE DONE WITH 3-D THERMAL or fins, in the aligned configurations. They are the candidates
for characterization and importing into the 1-D system-level,
SIMULATION AND ANALYSIS TO FIND THE
thermal-simulation model. This process for optimizing the geom-
BEST OPTION FOR THE INTERNAL GEOMETRY: etry of a cold plate designed for use in a liquid-cooled avionics
system can enable the engineer to make some quick decisions
WHETHER IT SHOULD CONTAIN PINS, FINS,
about which designs are best and which can be eliminated for
OR OPEN PASSAGEWAYS AND WHETHER THE consideration, long before prototypes are ever created. MES
FINS ARE ALIGNED OR STAGGERED.
References
1. Gray, C.N. and Shayeson, M. W., General Electric, “Aircraft
Fuel Heat Sink Utilization,” U.S. Air Force Technical Report
designs. The shifted designs had a 50 to 100 percent higher AFAPL-TR-73-51, July 1973.
pressure drop than the aligned designs. 2. “F-22 Raptor Flight Critical Systems,” GlobalSecurity.org.
January 22, 2016.
The inlet temperature of the coolant was plotted against the
component temperature. Figure 6 shows a linear increase in Mike Croegaert is Military and Aerospace
the component temperature as the inlet temperature was Industry Manager for 1D-3D CFD at
increased, with all designs having a similar rate of change. Mentor, a Siemens business. He has a
Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical
and astronautical engineering and a
master’s degree in business. He joined
Flowmaster (now part of Mentor) in 1998.
Mentor • www.mentor.com
AS 9100D / ISO 9001:2015 CERTIFIED
PHALANX II:
THE ULTIMATE NAS
Supports AES-256 and FIPS140-2 encryption
› Figure 5 | Volumetric flow rate versus operating temperature

and pressure drop of cold-plate designs is shown. (solid lines:
temperature, dashed lines: pressure drop).
Utilizing two removable SSDs, the Phalanx II is a rugged Small

Form Factor (SSF) Network Attached Storage (NAS) file server
designed for manned and unmanned airborne, undersea and
ground mobile applications.
w w w . p h e n x i n t . c o m
› Figure 6 | Coolant inlet temperature versus component

temperature is shown.
www.mil-embedded.com MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS

PHX_OSP_3.375_4.875.indd 1
January/February 2018 31
1/22/18 11:36 AM
Mil Tech Trends
ELECTRONIC WARFARE
Data-to-decision:
Fueling netcentric
defense solutions
with the IIoT and
fog computing
By Roy Keeler
In today’s defense arena, traditional tactics using large, fixed systems no longer suffice. A deployed naval strike group
might find itself needing to quickly integrate its data systems with those of on-site allies – some of which may be many
years older – and process data with these combined platforms in real time. We are now in the era of the industrial internet
of things (IIoT), and those who make the most flexible, intelligent use of the data streaming in from a dizzying array of
clients have the advantage.
The principle of data-to-decision, of DDS features automatic discovery and enables high-performance data-centric commu-
gathering massive amounts of diverse, nication. The technology is low-latency, secure, fault-tolerant, and highly scalable. Since
potentially disparate information and DDS’s arrival in 2004, the technology has been adopted and mandated in standards
merging it into a real-time set of action- including the United Kingdom’s Generic Vehicle Architecture (DEF STAN 23-09), NATO
able conclusions, governs much of the GVA (STANAG 4754), and the U.S. Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE).
military’s current and future technology
adoption policies. Just as operating systems such as Red Hat and Ubuntu build value on top of the
open-source Linux kernel, PrismTech – an early DDS proponent founded in 1992 and
From individual soldiers to joint command, acquired by ADLINK Technology in late 2015 – extended DDS with its own Vortex DDS
cloud computing and intelligent client Intelligent Data Sharing Platform. Vortex as a whole enables real-time data sharing
networks offer the ability to pursue these across platforms from sensors to smartphones to servers, using a wide variety of pro-
goals more effectively. Manufacturers are gramming languages, operating systems, browsers, and more. Vortex is deployable
now moving to provide robust platforms, across a range of public, private, and hybrid cloud configurations, unicast and multi-
data connectivity, and complete IIoT solu- cast networks, and many third-party or legacy applications in military platforms such
tions that dovetail with the military’s core as naval combat-management systems.
technology priorities.
Ground-level flexibility: Cloudlet architecture
Top-level flexibility: DDS DDS platforms enable analysis and distribution of data across a wide variety of data
Data Distribution Service (DDS) is an sources and targets, including cloudlets. A cloudlet is effectively a small, mobile data
open-source middleware standard that center designed to emulate cloud computing at the internet’s edge – so-called fog
enables the sending and receiving of computing. Cloudlets enable applications in which connectivity to the internet may
data, commands, and events between be limited, network latency must be low, and/or interactive programs demand local
network nodes regardless of location, processing beyond what clients can or should provide.
host operating system, programming
language, or host hardware platform. An example of cloudlet application is augmented reality (AR), in which graphical data over-
DDS acts as an intermediary – a translator lays real world images. One AR example is the DARPA-funded ARC4 system designed
of sorts – between different systems to with experts at Applied Research Associates (ARA), which uses a helmet-attached display
facilitate interoperable data exchanges to add information such as enemy locations, satellite footage, route conditions, and
across networks. (Figure 1.) mission objectives into the user’s field of view. To be practical, AR systems must have

› Figure 1 | DDS is a key enabler of the global information grid (GIG).
well below 30 ms of latency between con-

troller input (head-turning, for example)
and display output. Otherwise, the expe-
rience becomes unnatural and frustrating.
Pulling overlay data from the cloud, espe-
cially from remote areas, often introduces
too much lag. Near-proximity cloudlets
can solve this problem.
Cloudlet clients can be used in many dif-

› Figure 2 | The 12-core VPX3010 can be part of a system to handle highly parallelized
compute-intensive jobs in the field.
ferent environments. A local server may Elements of a strong cloudlet server

manage a variety of semi-autonomous Until recently, establishing a mobile command post often meant loading a five-ton
and autonomous systems, including truck with gear, satellite dishes, boxes of cabling, racks of servers, power supplies,
wearable clients, robots, and unmanned generators, and more, all of which had to be assembled and cabled together. New
air and ground vehicles. Each of these directives emphasizing greater capability and much improved mobility would rather
can interconnect in numerous ways to see groups pull up in a Humvee carrying an already-running cloudlet server.
reduce resource demands on the local
server. The local server, in turn, has more A server, or network of servers, stands at the heart of every cloudlet. As with every
connectivity options to the wide-area other type of server, the desirable attributes of a cloudlet server will depend on
network. the specific circumstances and applications. Effective cloudlet servers must contain
virtualization-friendly processors, be extremely rugged, and be upgradeable/scalable.
Conversely, cloudlet servers often assist
clients by taking on some of their pro- A size-constrained server, ADLINK’s VPX3010 is a 3U VPX blade measuring approxi-
cessing loads. Consider speech rec- mately 7.5 by 4 inches – roughly the size of an open hand. (Figure 2.) Its size means
ognition, a vital technology able to that a shoe box-size enclosure can house two or three VPX3010 blades to make up a
help soldiers keep their hands free for fully integrated VITA 48.2-compliant system. MES
noncomputing tasks. If there’s limited
or no cloud connectivity, pushing the Roy Keeler is senior product and business development
processing load back onto a wearable manager, aerospace and defense, for ADLINK Technology.
system might result in either inaccurate/ He has spent 30 years in the embedded computing, digital signal
unusable application results or impair- processing, software-defined radio, and IoT spaces within the
ment of other applications running on aerospace and defense markets. Roy served in the United States
the system. Cloudlet servers can absorb Marine Corps before attending George Mason University, where
these resource demands to keep clients he earned a BS in computer science and electrical engineering.
running optimally; such offloading also
helps extend client battery life. ADLINK Technology • www.adlinktech.com

Industry Spotlight
RF AND MICROWAVE AND
ELECTRONIC WARFARE SYSTEMS
GaN tech
driving radar
and electronic
warfare designs
Roger Hall
By John McHale, Editorial Director
Gallium nitride (GaN) technology continues to be a game changer for military radar, electronic warfare (EW), and
communications applications. In the following Q & A with Roger Hall, general manager, Defense & Aerospace for Qorvo,
he discusses GaN’s impact on these applications; reduced size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements; the ways
in which automotive radar innovation is influencing military designs; and the buzz on the International Microwave
Symposium (IMS) show floor this summer. Edited excerpts follow.
MIL-EMBEDDED: Please provide a defense applications. The defense market HALL: As the industry continues to focus
brief description of your responsibility has relied on GaN-on-SiC for AESAs on size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C)
within Qorvo and your group’s role [active electronically scanned arrays] for constraints, engineers will further under-
within the company. many years to increase system perfor- stand how GaN-on-SiC and its variety of
mance and reliability. Now, commercial features help meet power-consumption
HALL: I lead the High Performance applications are drawing on these tech- demands while improving the capabili-
Solutions group within Qorvo, a team nologies from the defense market to ties of new and legacy systems. As with
that focuses on driving technology, better solve some of the new complexi- any new technology, there is a learning
products, and solutions for defense, ties they’re experiencing in preparation curve, but Qorvo’s applications engi-
aerospace, and wireless infrastructure for the rollout of 5G. Wireless infrastruc- neers have many years of experience to
applications. We develop cutting-edge ture is utilizing Massive MIMO [multiple- help customers integrate GaN-on-SiC
products for radar, EW, defense commu- input multiple-output] in base stations into their systems as needed.
nications, and base station markets, and to increase modulation rates and data
help our customers to integrate them speeds in densely populated areas. We MIL-EMBEDDED: What military
into program-winning systems. expect this trend to continue as com- applications are most benefiting from
mercial applications adopt technologies GaN and why?
MIL-EMBEDDED: What trends did pioneered in defense.
you see emerging at the International HALL: It’s been an exciting few years in the
Microwave Symposium and European MIL-EMBEDDED: GaN continues defense industry with the increased focus
Microwave Week (EuMW) this to be the hottest tech in the industry, on applying GaN-based electronically
summer? What was the buzz? but there also seems to be more scanned arrays for EW, radar, and commu-
education needed for the customer nications applications. Many new technol-
HALL: GaN-on-SiC [silicon] is clearly the base on its benefits and where ogies rely on the power of GaN-on-SiC,
focus, impacting both commercial and and when to use it? which holds many well-known advantages

to previous solutions, including increased MIL-EMBEDDED: RF and microwave technology fuel much of the radar
RF [radio frequency] reliability at a higher technology development in the military market, but the automotive radar market
channel temperature, frequency avail- promises even larger growth. How is innovation in automotive radar driving military
ability, and extended product lifetime. RF and microwave designs?
We also see the transition of tube-based
systems to solid-state GaAs [gallium arse- HALL: The market roadmaps for military radar and automotive radar are aligned and
nide] and GaN amplifiers, which increases tracking in terms of long-term reliability and consistency in their supply chains, as
reliability significantly. Finally, GaN-on- well as the requirements for innovative packaging that improve SWaP-C [size, weight,
SiC’s true advantages shine as you go up power, and cost]. We see the commercial markets helping defense by driving down
in frequency and bandwidth, which sup- costs and powering RF packaging innovation.
port the growing needs of both EW and
[communications] systems. At Qorvo, we are strategically positioned to address the defense markets as well as
the commercial markets like IoT [internet of things] and autonomous cars. We have a
MIL-EMBEDDED: How do GaN and broad range of products from a market-leading high-power RF portfolio to innovative
LDMOS [laterally diffused metal oxide ultra-low power, short-range wireless personal area network (WPAN) SoCs [systems-
semiconductor] compare? Could they on-chip], as well as 802.11p, automotive Wi-Fi, SDARS [Satellite Digital Audio Radio
ever be used in the same solution? System], GPS, and LTE [Long-Term Evolution] automotive solutions.
When do you choose one over the other?
MIL-EMBEDDED: Do you see continued growth for RF technology in military
HALL: GaN-on-SiC is the solution of applications with the recent increases in the Department of Defense’s (DoD) budget
choice over LDMOS because it provides or will this market remain flat like others?
increased RF performance and system
efficiency. Qorvo has designed GaN HALL: There will continue to be growth in RF segments for military applications. We
from DC to over 250 GHz, whereas the have seen GaN-on-SiC growth double year-over-year, and it will continue to grow,
performance of LDMOS rolls off over driven mainly by defense along with substantial growth across all our major sub-
2.5 GHz. GaN-on-SiC also has higher markets: radar, [electronic warfare], and military [communications]. We also expect to
efficiency, especially over the wider see growth in other market areas in the next year, in both macro and Massive MIMO
bandwidths that systems demand now. base stations, as 5G moves into production. As was highlighted in our recent earnings
release, we are very positive on the defense market.
The superior RF performance of GaN-
on-SiC also leads to overall lower system MIL-EMBEDDED: It seems every piece of electronic equipment today
operating costs and a broader band- is getting smaller – GPS systems, radios, etc. How have reduced (SWaP)
width in a similar footprint to LDMOS. requirements affected your radar product designs? What are the tradeoffs with
For example, you can replace two or smaller tech?
three LDMOS parts with one GaN com-
ponent and get equivalent efficiency and HALL: At Qorvo, we are innovating packaging design and device technology to
lower costs while increasing bandwidth. accelerate higher levels of integration in our solutions. Our defense and commercial
solutions enable system designers to lower system level costs, increase bandwidth
MIL-EMBEDDED: Is GaN gaining and reduce board space, and improve thermal performance. Our experience in the
popularity in commercial markets commercial market enables us to innovate small, low-cost plastic packaging for our
as well? Will the cost come down defense customers’ needs. For example, we have high-power plastic packaging for
as more high-volume markets adapt S-band radar with industry-leading performance. In some cases, we can reduce board
the technology? space by thirty to fifty percent, which significantly lowers SWaP-C and improves the
cost structure.
HALL: We are already seeing GaN-on-SiC
in commercial markets. It has been used MIL-EMBEDDED: How do you manage obsolescence and how does obsolescence
for several years in cable TV and base management differ in the military and automotive markets?
station applications due to GaN’s highly
efficient broadband performance for HALL: Qorvo has been executing long life cycle programs for the defense and auto-
customers. The costs of GaN-on-SiC motive markets since the mid-‘80s. There are commonalities in both markets which
are already down significantly, which is leverage high tech, rigorous quality requirements and a long life cycle. Our decades
why we are seeing continued adoption of expertise make us the perfect partner when developing similar programs in the
in consumer markets, including wireless automotive industry.
infrastructure. We’ll soon see GaN-on-SiC
replace LDMOS in all frequency bands. It’s key to effectively manage product life cycles while also understanding the market
Next-gen network demands resulting and your customers. We know what our customers need and we work closely with
from 5G will require the power efficiency, them to choose technologies that complement their product life cycles. Qorvo’s
bandwidth, and performance that only advantage of having its own fabs allows us to effectively approach this while also
GaN-on-SiC can provide. better understanding and controlling our destiny.

Industry Spotlight RF AND MICROWAVE AND ELECTRONIC WARFARE SYSTEMS
MIL-EMBEDDED: When one attends a trade show such as IMS or the Consumer MIL-EMBEDDED: Looking forward,
Electronics Show (CES), one can’t help but notice there is a lot less gray hair at these what disruptive technology/innovation
events than at military technology events such as the large Army and Navy events. will be a game changer in the military
Does the military electronics industry have a recruitment challenge on its hands? RF & microwave world and why?
If so, how can they mitigate it? Predict the future.
HALL: Diversity is a great thing when solving complex problems. The younger genera- HALL: All eyes will continue to be on
tion of engineers is bringing lots of new ideas to the solution space for our customers. GaN-on-SiC in 2018. It’s the technology
At Qorvo we start partnering with students in junior high and high school through of choice in the defense industry as con-
STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math] programs. These students are tractors look to develop smaller, more
much more likely to go to college to get a technical degree and might someday end powerful radar and EW solutions. This
up working at Qorvo. In addition, we also have a robust college program to ensure trend is primarily driven by packaging
that we attract top talent to Qorvo. updates made to GaN-on-SiC. Our
move to plastic packaging is signifi-
cantly cutting the cost of manufacturing,
making products more attainable in the
Advanced Capacitors for Demanding Applications commercial market. More affordable
pricing of GaN-on-SiC power amplifiers
will certainly be an early adopter in the
commercial space.
RF filters will also be another disruptor

in the military RF and microwave indus-
tries. The number of mobile devices
is growing. As it does, frequency and
bandwidth will continue to be limited.
This significantly impacts everything
from commercial applications like
smartphones, Wi-Fi, and base stations
to defense technologies like radar and
[communications] systems. The industry
will have to rely on RF filters such as
BAW [bulk acoustic wave] and SAW [sur-
face acoustic wave] to solve this issue,
which will ultimately improve user expe-
rience and connectivity.
Finally, as we look for high power, smaller

footprint options with better packaging
that considers thermals. We’re always
looking at how to take the heat out,
EVANSCAPS enable many of today’s most advanced because circuit designers can be limited
power-hungry pulsing applications. by thermals. MES
EVANSCAPS’ trusted & proven hybrid wet tantalum Roger Hall is general manager of
technology provides more energy storage in Qorvo’s High Performance Solutions
a smaller space. They are suitable for many group, which uses years of technology
applications in radar, laser, microwave, power expertise and product development
to shape Qorvo’s next-generation
hold-up, electronic warfare, and many more.
solutions for defense and infrastructure
• The most power dense capacitor in the market systems. Prior to joining Qorvo, Hall
• Significant SWaP savings www.evanscap.com
held senior positions within TriQuint
• High current handling & low ESR (now Qorvo), Raytheon, and Honeywell
• Rugged, hermetically sealed, HI-REL design International/Allied Signal.
Qorvo
www.qorvo.com

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Industry Spotlight
RF AND MICROWAVE AND
ELECTRONIC WARFARE SYSTEMS
Using RISC-V
in FPGAs for
strategic defense
systems
By Ted Marena
The defense market is often

characterized as slow-moving and a
laggard when it comes to high-tech
components. The strict certifications
and testing that are often required for
upgrading military systems generally
cannot be rushed. At the same time,
though, there is growing demand
to speed development cycles for
the next generation of strategic
defense products.
Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) Understanding RISC-V

and system-on-chip (SoC) FPGAs can RISC-V is not a processor but rather an open ISA, which is also fixed. This new RISC-V
be used to accelerate prototyping and open ISA-based processor ecosystem is a major diversion from today’s processor
other development steps for mission- architectures: The majority of processor architectures are an Intel x86 variation or
critical defense products, which often an ARM A-class processor. These are very capable processors, but there are many
require functions such as secure commu- advantages for defense applications to leverage RISC-V in FPGAs. The open ISA trans-
nications, trusted intellectual property lates to everyone having a micro-architectural license. If the RISC-V IP core offers RTL
(IP), inspection of register transfer level source, then deep inspection is possible; RISC-V combined with a cryptographic pro-
(RTL) source code for certification, anti- cessor enables trusted secure communications. Because the ISA is fixed, this means
tamper requirements, supply chain software can be written once and will run forever.
assurance, and more. To meet these
challenges, the best choice is not an Benefits of an open ISA
FPGA with a specific processor, but one The ISA is open, so anyone can design a RISC-V processor. It is as if the designer has a
integrating the new RISC-V open instruc- micro-architecture license, which is a viable option. Users and silicon vendors are free
tion set architecture (ISA). The combi- to implement whatever architecture they deem best for their application. This choice
nation of a secure FPGA with IP cores enables broad innovation, such as designs that have some operations accelerated in
for RISC-V-open ISA processors with hardware or a processor designed for the lowest possible power consumption. As
a comprehensive ecosystem enables an example, Microsemi has introduced a variety of RISC-V IP cores for its FPGAs, all
designers to speed development, pre- driven by user requirements.
serve software investments, accelerate
innovation using a trusted processor, and With the open ISA, there is an additional benefit of design portability. For instance,
meet all of the demanding security and designers can use a low-density FPGA device; if the design grows this could easily
other requirements of next-generation be redirected to a midrange-density solution even a custom application-specific inte-
strategic defense systems. grated circuit (ASIC).

a RISC-V core with a differential power To initiate secure data communications,
analysis (DPA)-resistant cryptographic a soft RISC-V core is used in the FPGA
processor. fabric. The RISC-V core instructs the
coprocessor about which encryption pro-
An example design for secured commu- tocols it should execute, which keys to
nications is shown in Figure 1. use, and how to implement other security
› Figure 1 | Secure data communications example.
Open RTL source

Although the roots of RISC-V were in
the open-source community, not every
implementation is required to provide
source code. However, with RISC-V, de-
signers can obtain the processor source
code from certain vendors. This option
is simply not possible with closed archi-
tectures such as ARM or x86-based
devices. FPGA suppliers can support
their offerings with a family of IP cores.
One example is Microsemi’s recently
released Mi_V_RV32IMA 32-bit RISC-V IP
core, part of its Mi-V ecosystem. With the
complete RTL source available to defense LIGHTER, SMALLER, MORE DURABLE
agencies for deep inspection, its use can
be approved for the highest levels of CONNECTORS FOR ANY APPLICATION
security functions, enabling trust for the
FPGA system.
For many government, military, and

defense programs, using a trusted pro-
cessor is critical. Another important way
to secure communications is to combine
W W W. O M N E T I C S . C O M

Industry Spotlight RF AND MICROWAVE AND ELECTRONIC WARFARE SYSTEMS
control functions. The embedded encryption coprocessor then runs the secure data link designs that are supported for years or
in and out of the FPGA. In this example, the boot code for the RISC-V core can also be even decades.
stored in the on-chip secure nonvolatile memory (NVM), so no root kit or malware will
be inserted. A RISC-V design such as this can be used as a root of trust for numerous Consider the following thermal image or
types of defense systems. infrared camera application (Figure 2).
Fixed ISA The RISC-V core in the camera imple-

With each generation of ARM processors, the instruction sets tend to grow, ments the traditional functions that a
which forces software engineers to update their code for the newer architectures. microcontroller would support, which
Conversely, the RISC-V ISA is frozen so that code migration from one RISC-V core would include configuring the image
to another is seamless. The defense market can rapidly adopt RISC-V as a new stan- sensor and updating the settings peri-
dard open architecture for direct native hardware implementations because they can odically when adjustments are required.
rely on the frozen ISA. The fixed ISA and the portability of RISC-V enable numerous The RISC-V core can also run the external
memory storage stack for setting up
transfer of images or video frames. The
software will be completely portable
High Performance. across all devices that have a RISC-V
core, which creates a royalty-free pro-
Proven Reliability. cessor subsystem. Because the RTL code
is available, the design can be imple-
mented in any hardware. So, if the FPGA
family needs to be changed, designers
Rugged computing platforms can simply retarget the RTL source and
that accomplish your mission. no software changes will be required.
RISC-V ecosystem
Find out how at: To encourage and enable broad use,
the RISC-V Foundation – a nonprofit
themis.com/proven organization controlled by its mem-
bers – froze the instruction set in 2014
so the market could dictate its processor
architectures. As a result, all the varia-
tions in a RISC-V micro-architecture are
Harsh acceptable because the ISA is open and
Environments fixed. There are numerous open-source,
upstreamed software tools to support
Military RISC-V designs, especially as the market
introduces RISC-V ecosystems.
Standard
Microsemi’s Mi-V ecosystem contains
FPGA-based open architecture RISC-V
COTS IP cores, a software integrated develop-
Minimum Technology
ment environment (IDE), and support for
various third-party real-time operating
SWaP systems (RTOS) (Figure 3). An important
feature of a RISC-V ecosystem is the
ability to deploy a RISC-V IP core in mul-
tiple flash-based FPGA options, each of
which can store the boot code for the
Reduce RISC-V soft core in secure NVM. This
Cost design prevents malware or a root kit
Modular, from being installed in a system. Another
RISC-V ecosystem feature is the avail-
Composable ability of a comprehensive family of
supporting design tools that enable engi-
©2017 Themis Computer. All rights reserved. Themis and the Themis logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Themis Computer. neers to further leverage the benefits of
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
the RISC-V RTL in custom FPGA designs.

RISC-V ecosystems also should sup-
port several open-source and com-
mercial RTOS, such as Express Logic’s
popular industrial-grade ThreadX, as
well as Micrium’s uC OS II, each of
which is available along with freeRTOS
and more. For software code devel-
opment, a good choice is the Eclipse-
based Soft Console IDE (hosted on
a Linux or Windows platform), which
provides complete development sup-
port, including a C or C++ compiler and
complete debugger capability.
With the mainstream adoption of
›
RISC-V, defense engineers and archi-
tects now can consider a compelling Figure 2 | Thermal image or infrared camera.
alternative processor architecture. The
advantages of an open ISA, RTL source
code availability, secure communication
solutions, and the fixed ISA are all aimed
at solving the challenges of strategic
defense systems. The open ISA with
source code availability enables the user
to trust that the design is optimized for
specific functionality. For root-of-trust
applications and those requiring secure
communications, the RISC-V processor
architecture can be used with the latest
midrange-density FPGAs that deliver
full design IP protection, antitamper
capabilities, and other security features.
Finally, the fixed ISA ensures software
compatibility and longevity of the archi-
tecture for many years. MES
Ted Marena
is the director
› Figure 3 | The elements of the Microsemi Mi-V ecosystem.
of FPGA/SOC SPECIAL ADVERTISING FEATURE

marketing at
Microsemi. He
has more than VX6090
SPOTLIGHT
20 years’ experi- • Compute-intensive and
PRODUCT
ence in FPGAs. Previously, Marena SWaP-C optimized 6U
has held roles in design engineering, VPX board
technical sales/support, business • Dual-node 8-core 2 GHz
development, and product and Intel Xeon D with dual
KONTRON
strategic marketing. He was awarded 10G Ethernet

Innovator of the Year in February • Only 20CFM cooling at 50°C at full speed operation
2014 when he worked for Lattice • M.2 SATA III, 2D graphics and 1Gb Ethernet per node
Semiconductor. Ted holds a Bachelor
• Integrated Dual Secure Elements and VITA 46.11 BMC
of Science in electrical engineering
(Magna Cum Laude) from the University • Trusted and secure boot solutions a board monitoring
of Connecticut and an MBA from • 8-core 2GHz Intel Xeon D with Dual 10G Ethernet
Bentley College’s Elkin B. McCallum
Graduate School of Business.
888-294-4558
www.kontron.com
Microsemi sales@us.kontron.com
www.microsemi.com

Editor’s Choice Products
Software analyzes run-time and logic errors

CodePeer is an Ada source code analyzer that detects run-time and logic errors.
Developed by Adacore, it assesses potential bugs before program execution, serving
as an automated peer reviewer, helping to find errors at any stage of the development
life cycle. The goal of CodePeer, say Adacore documents, is to help developers gain a
deep understanding of their code and build more reliable and secure software systems.
It aims to help developers improve the quality of their code and make it easier to perform
safety and security analysis.
As a stand-alone tool, CodePeer runs on Windows and Linux platforms and may be
used with any standard Ada compiler or fully integrated into the GNAT Pro development
environment. It can detect several of the “Top 25 Most Dangerous Software Errors” in
the Common Weakness Enumeration (a formal, community-based list of software weaknesses). CodePeer supports all versions
of Ada (83, 95, 2005, 2012). It has also been qualified as a verification tool under the DO-178B and EN 50128 software standards.
CodePeer uses a “bottom-up” approach where each subprogram is analyzed separately, with its effects summarized/propagated
for caller analysis. This method enables CodePeer to scale up to very large applications, and also enables partial analysis with
no need for a driver or stubs. In addition, CodePeer is able to use multicore architectures to speed up its running time.
Adacore | www.adacore.com | www.mil-embedded.com/p374520
GPS splitter includes antenna health sensor

The MS24S is a military qualified, two-input, two-output, GPS splitter with a slimline
housing from GPS Source. The MS24S includes an antenna health sensor and
an embedded antenna switch. Dual-input ports enable the splitter to be connected
to two GPS receive antennas. The sensor monitors the health of the primary antenna
connected to the splitter; based on the information provided by the sensor, the splitter
will switch to the secondary antenna in the event of a failure of the primary antenna.
GPS Source designed the embedded switch so it can be controlled externally.
This external control can also override the internal automatic switch: If the failure
in the primary antenna is resolved, the splitter will automatically switch back to
the primary. Additional features include an embedded antenna health sensor,
automatic internal antenna port switch, remote antenna port switching capability,
and electromagnetic interference shielding. It’s also available in a full-housing size, which enables LED fault screen and power
military connection options.
GPS Source | https://gps-source.myshopify.com | www.mil-embedded.com/p374522
Flexible SBC includes dual core i7 processor from Intel

The Orion PCI7620 is a single-board computer (SBC) that uses Intel’s fourth-generation
Core i7 chip and complement of I/O, which is adaptable to military, industrial, or commercial
applications. The SBC is available in multiple levels of ruggedization, from commercial-
temperature air cooled to extended-temperature rugged use.
With a dual-core i7 processor and 4 GB/DDR3 memory, the PCI7620 enables high-speed
processing in a small form factor. The PCI7620’s 4 GB Ethernet port, two serial ports, two USB
3.0 ports, and six USB 2.0 ports is aimed at low-power, high-performance applications. Other
features include stack-down type 2 PCIe/104 connector; four 10/100/1000 Ethernet (Base-T)
ports; 12 lanes of PCIe 2.0 (two x4 and four x1); two USB 3.0 ports and six USB 2.0 ports; two
RS-232 /RS-422 serial ports; two SATA 6 GB/s ports; three independent video display ports; and up to 4 GB DDR3L-1600 memory
with on-board Linux, Windows, and VxWorks 6.9 support.
Orion Technologies | www.oriontechnologies.com | www.mil-embedded.com/p374523

Editor’s Choice Products
Microwave power module for electronic warfare

simulation applications
The dB-4150 is a smart microwave power module (MPM) designed and developed
by dB Control that operates in the frequency range of 6 to 18 GHz. The MPM can
provide 100 watts of pulsed or continuous-wave radio-frequency (RF) output power.
The RF signal path consists of a solid-state amplifier and a vacuum power booster; the
power supply topology uses proprietary low-noise, high-efficiency designs to operate
the RF signal path. Engineers installed a high-speed modulator for pulse modulation of
up to 10 KHz to CW. This conduction-cooled MPM is able to operate in extreme military
environments, in applications such as electronic countermeasures and electronic warfare simulation. Features also include
Smart MPM, forward and reverse power monitor, and Ethernet interface.
The dB Control MPMs are based on a modular design for easy customization and are available with continuous wave or
pulsed power. Each MPM is a complete microwave amplifier that uses traveling wave tubes and solid-state technologies for
use in either military or commercial applications.
dB Control | www.dbcontrol.com | www.mil-embedded.com/p374524
PMC card for avionics interfaces with configurable channels

Sealevel’s PMC HyperBoard is a multi-standard PCI mezzanine card (PMC) that
is compatible with MIL-STD-1553B and MIL-STD-1760 networking and interface
standards. As well, each channel can be configured independently to work with H009
and WB-194 interfaces in conjunction with MIL-STD-1553. Other protocols, including
French DigiBus, are also available upon request. The PMC HyperBoard is based on
proven MIL-STD-1553, H009, and WB-194 (WMUX) IP cores and transceivers. Prior
to shipment, the board can be programmed to support various configurations and protocols using the exact same hardware.
The PMC board includes eight generic I/O pins that can be used as RS-422, RS-485, ARINC-429 (2 transmit and 2 receive
channels), or eight avionics I/O ports. It also includes eight digital I/O channels and IRIG-B time-tag input and output channels.
The PMC HyperBoard – which can be used for onboard avionics systems and for lab testing equipment – is software-
compatible with DDC Enhanced Mini-ACE components and architecture, which the company says eases integration with
existing or new systems. Tester versions are available with capabilities such as RT simulation, multi-RT, error injection, and
more. Designers can use the board’s software drivers for Windows and Linux, along with high-level API, perform application
development. This software includes an advanced graphical user interface (GUI) for controlling the board, generating
MIL-STD-1553 traffic, health monitoring, and emulating a real bus environment.
Sealevel | www.sealevel.com | www.mil-embedded.com/p374525
Airborne tactical data systems over Ethernet solutions

GET Engineering’s Dual Parallel Channel NTDS [Naval Tactical Data System] over Ethernet
solutions are qualified to military specification. The system enables translation of the company’s
MIL-STD-1397 NTDS data to standard Ethernet protocol, effectively turning the user’s NTDS ports
into an Ethernet-aware device that meets stringent NTDS latency specifications. The system
enables any NTDS device to be accessed through a standard 802.3 Gigabit Ethernet port.
GET solutions integrate legacy tactical data processors and peripheral equipment into its
new NetCentric Open Architecture standard. The user configures the system and transacts
data though the TCP/IP connection using GET’s Common User Interface for ease of application
development and porting; multinode connectivity through the Ethernet interface is supported as well. Additional features
include two USB ports, memory-write protect switch, MIL-38999 connectors, small size and weight (less than 22 pounds),
and conduction cooling.
GET Engineering | www.getntds.com | www.mil-embedded.com/p374526

UNIVERSITY UPDATE
Flight control technology key to lighter,

stealthier UAVs
By Mariana Iriarte, Associate Editor
The University of Manchester and BAE The concept is “based on an aerody-

Systems are teaming up to test dif- namic effect called the Coandă effect,
ferent technologies aimed at improving where a jet of air will attach itself
flight control of small unmanned aerial to a curved surface,” he adds. “The
vehicles (UAVs). The university/industry freestream flow around the outside of
group completed the first phase of flight the wing is entrained into the deflected
trials late last year with a jet-powered air jet and the entire flow around the
UAV called MAGMA. Project officials wing is therefore changed (a similar
say that the end result is to deliver to
military and commercial users a lighter,
stealthier unmanned system.
effect to deflecting a flap or control sur-
face is achieved).” › Figure 1 | The jet-powered
MAGMA unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
Photo courtesy of BAE Systems.
By controlling the UAV via the wing Researchers achieved the lack of super-
The collaborators and the project’s trailing edge circulation control method, sonic shock wave through “the use of
goal is simple, says Brian Oldfield, Lead the resulting benefits could mean a geometric features that are used to con-
Technologist, Advanced Structures, at lighter system because its conven- dition the flow [pressures and velocity
BAE Systems in the U.K.: “MAGMA’s tional flaps would be replaced by fewer gradients] in the jet itself,” Oldfield says.
goal is to create a small unmanned moving parts, Oldfield explains. He also “The use of supersonic blowing jets
vehicle, which can be used to mature points out that it “may be less observ- makes the system efficient from the
research into a number of novel tech- able due to the reduce number of gaps perspective of minimizing the engine
nologies by integrating them into the and edges,” hinting at the stealthier part bleed air mass flow required and also of
vehicle design and demonstrating them of the equation. minimizing the sizing of pipe work and
in flight.” valves used to distribute the blowing air
The second flight control that underwent around the airframe.”
The project is ongoing for BAE Systems testing also uses the Coandă effect. The
and the university; it’s part of a “wider long- fluidic thrust vectoring control “allows In addition to the MAGMA work with
term collaboration between industry, us to change the direction of the engine the University of Manchester, BAE
academia, and government to explore thrust; giving maneuverability improve- Systems has also been collaborating
and develop innovative flight control ments and the like to the trailing edge with the NATO Science and Technology
technology,” says BAE Systems. devices has potential benefits over a Organization (STO) and the University
mechanical thrust vectoring system with of Arizona to develop technologies that
According to documents from BAE moving parts,” Oldfield says. will improve UAV performance.
Systems, the new aircraft-control con-
cept will remove “conventional need The program doesn’t come without With the NATO STO project, the
for complex, mechanical moving parts its challenges. The biggest one? “The collaboration “allows us to exchange
used to move flaps to control the air- geometry of the flow control devices are information with others working in
craft during flight,” leading the way for key to getting the right performance, similar fields.” Oldfield explains. “In
the desired UAV design. The recently which is both a design and manufac- the case of University of Arizona, they
completed test with the MAGMA UAV turing challenge, and these need to be are looking at a flow control technology
(Figure 1) by the university and BAE fed with the air supply from the engine called ‘sweeping jets’ which may enable
Systems focused on two flight controls: at the required mass flow rates, to pro- further efficiency improvements or
wing trailing edge circulation control vide efficient control of the vehicle in greater control from these types of de-
and fluidic thrust vectoring. flight.” vices on certain wing geometries
through their ability to delay flow sepa-
Researchers are shooting for lighter, On that subject, from an aerodynamic ration and influence the direction of the
stealthier flight using these two tech- perspective, “this research has made it natural wing flow.”
nologies.Oldfield explains, “The wing possible to make these systems work
trailing edge circulation control devices effectively when the blowing jets are BAE Systems points out that if the
use air blown supersonically out of small supersonic without the effects of super- MAGMA tests are successful “[they] will
slots to control the direction of airflow at sonic shock waves causing separation demonstrate the first-ever use of such
the back of the wing (which in turn influ- of the jet from the curved surface,” he circulation control in flight on a gas tur-
ences the flow around the entire wing).” continues. bine aircraft and from a single engine.

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Military Embedded Systems magazine focuses on “whole life COTS” and the total military program
life cycle, providing technical coverage that applies to every stage of a program, from front-end design
to deployment. The website, Resource Guide, Internet editions, and print editions provide insight on
embedded tools and strategies such as hardware, software, systems, technology insertion, end-of-life
mitigation, component storage, and many other military-specific technical subjects.
Coverage areas include the latest, most innovative products and technology shifts that drive today’s
military embedded applications, such as SDR, avionics, radar, cybersecurity, C4ISR,
standards, and more. Each issue provides readers with the information they need to
stay up to date on the embedded technology used by the military and aerospace
industries and the newest, most exciting technologies in the pipeline. mil-embedded.com
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CHARITIES | MARKET PULSE | WHITE PAPER | BLOG | VIDEO | SOCIAL MEDIA | E-CAST
CHARITY
Warrior Dog Foundation

Each issue in this section, the editorial staff of Military Embedded Systems will highlight a different
charity that benefits military veterans and their families. We are honored to cover the technology that
protects those who protect us every day. To back that up, our parent company – OpenSystems Media – will make a donation to
every charity we showcase on this page.
This issue we are highlighting Warrior Dog Foundation, a nonprofit national organization founded by former Navy Seal Mike
Ritland as a place for retirement and rehabilitation of retired warrior K-9 dogs who were slated to be euthanized.
Once the retired K-9 warriors – who served alongside troops in the military and with officers in U.S. law enforcement – have com-
pleted their service and are unable to continue on with their handler, the Warrior Dog Foundation helps transition them from an
operational environment into a state-of-the-art kennel facility in Texas. The foundation calls itself “a sanctuary of last resort” for
retired K-9s; the dogs are able to live out their last years having fun on a ranch with other dogs and specially trained handlers.
At the Warrior Dog kennel in Cooper, Texas, the foundation strives to treat each individual K-9 with dignity and grace, including
both mental and physical rehabilitation, for the rest of their lives.
Another portion of the foundation’s mission is to educate the public on the importance of K-9s in the combat environment and
showcase the level of sacrifice these dogs give in support of U.S. troops and stateside law enforcement. In the future, foundation
officials hope to establish a scholarship fund for the families of K-9 handlers who are wounded or killed.
For more information on Warrior Dog Foundation, please visit warriordogfoundation.org.
E-CAST WHITE PAPER
Reducing avionics packaging up to 40 percent Aitech explores COTS in space

Sponsored by TE Connectivity Sponsored by Aitech
The Mini Modular Rack Principle (MiniMRP), standardized in Space is not only one of the harshest
ARINC 836 (Cabin Standard Enclosures), is a design and mod- environments that electronics need to
ular component solution for avionics systems that distributes operate in, but it’s also one of the hardest
avionics throughout the aircraft in smaller, lighter package to replicate. Testing and validation of
configurations. Use of MiniMRP can reduce avionics packaging mission-critical systems used in space exist for a reason, as the
space up to 40 percent. success of such systems is defined by the continued reliability,
Participants in the webinar will discuss how increased com- autonomous operation, and unwavering communication of a
puting power in a smaller package is possible through the use space system within its network. Depending on the program’s
of MiniMRP avionics packaging; the role of small-form-factor mission requirements, some limits may be fine to push, while
electronic devices in modular components used with distrib- others may yield catastrophic failures.
uted avionics systems; how the MiniMRP’s distributed archi- This white paper examines the reliability requirements of
tecture can be deployed to enable information collection and electronics used in space today, the clarification of limitations
distribution around a fiber-optic or copper backbone; and within specific applications, and the continued increase of the
how new and existing aerospace industry standards can help use of COTS components in space applications.
designers lower the cost of avionics systems. Read this white paper:
View archived e-cast: ecast.opensystemsmedia.com/776 http://www.embedded-computing.com/military-white-papers/
cots-in-space-whitepaper-2018
View more e-casts:
http://opensystemsmedia.com/events/e-cast/schedule Read more white papers:
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@military_cots John McHale

In memoriam: Wayne Kristoff 7

Mil Tech Insider

Mil Tech Trends

COVER IN PROGRESS WITH SPINE

Ultra-Low Latency EW Solutions

All Systems Include Open Project Builder

Our Vendor-Independent FPGA Development Tool

16 Augmented vision: Cybersecurity Update

24 VITA 48.8 Air Flow Through Cooling University Update

28 Using thermofluid simulation to optimize DEPARTMENTS

SERVERS | DISPLAYS | STORAGE | NETWORKING | EMBEDDED | CARBON FIBER

47 Association for Unmanned Vehicle DIRECTOR OF E-CAST LEAD GENERATION

36 Evans Capacitor Company – (586) 415-6500

21 Milpower Source – Mission-ready STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGER Kathleen Wackowski kwackowski@opensystemsmedia.com

6 January/February 2018 MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS www.mil-embedded.com

We lost a family member recently: Wayne Kristoff – co-founder of OpenSystems

www.mil-embedded.com MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS January/February 2018 7

Quantum radio may outperform other types of

8 January/February 2018 MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS www.mil-embedded.com

As we start a new year, it is customary overshadowed by the impressive fea-

www.mil-embedded.com MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS January/February 2018 9

By Mariana Iriarte, Associate Editor

USAF awards $110 million contract for networked

10 January/February 2018 MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS www.mil-embedded.com

DARPA taps Raytheon for CODE’s Phase 3

www.mil-embedded.com MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS January/February 2018 11

Modern maritime radar systems for

12 January/February 2018 MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS www.mil-embedded.com

“Connecting these systems is more than a technological advantage – it’s a way to

Connecting the two systems is essentially a low-risk technology refresh of the

Lockheed Martin’s solid-state radar (SSR) is a scalable gallium nitride (GaN)-based

Using a wideband digital beamforming

Two variants of EASR are being designed

www.mil-embedded.com MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS January/February 2018 13

Signal processing and IC innovation

High-performance navigation and sur-

“The digitization boundary continues

14 January/February 2018 MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS www.mil-embedded.com

› Figure 1 | X-Band SharpEye radar

use of a patented pulse sequence,

exploits the trends in higher-sampling-

Midlevel sensors use a similar design

www.mil-embedded.com MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS January/February 2018 15

16 January/February 2018 MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS www.mil-embedded.com

USED TO BUILD A MODEL OF TARGET CLASSIFICATION AND

BEHAVIOR THAT CAN BE ADDED ONTO THE LIVE VIDEO

IMAGES WITH INFORMATION POSITIONED AND FILTERED TO

AID THE INTERPRETATION OF THE CAMERA DATA.

Method 3 (radar-directed adjustment) Real world scene

www.mil-embedded.com MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS January/February 2018 17

AcroPacks ® = S W a P - C The principle of the processing is thus:

RadarWatch provides an integrated dis-

18 January/February 2018 MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS www.mil-embedded.com

www.mil-embedded.com MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS January/February 2018 19

20 January/February 2018 MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS www.mil-embedded.com

MISSION-READY VPX VITA 62

www.mil-embedded.com MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS January/February 2018 21

Programming with AI, ML, and DL

22 January/February 2018 MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS www.mil-embedded.com

The quest for the truly adaptive battle-

“The continued trend is for an exponen-

Processing requirements are becoming

Smetana points out: In addition to the